The protests began with an economic focus but have since shifted towards calling for the overthrow of the Islamic Republic Government.
Beginning on 28 December 2025, mass demonstrations erupted across multiple cities in Iran amid widespread dissatisfaction with the Islamic Republic government and a deepening economic crisis. While initially sparked by frustration over inflation, rising food prices, and the severe depreciation of the Iranian rial, the protests quickly evolved into a broader movement demanding an end to the current regime.[14] Beginning with shopkeepers and bazaar merchants in Tehran, the demonstrations soon spread to universities, drawing in large numbers of students from across the country. Demonstrators voiced anti-government slogans as well as pro-monarchist slogans, signalling their grievances to those in power as well as broader political demands.[15][16][17] The movement quickly became the largest outbreak of unrest in Iran since the 2022–2023 protests following the death of Mahsa Amini.[18][19][20]
The wave of protests was sparked by a rapidly worsening economic situation. Inflation had surged to 48.6% in October 2025 and 42.2% in December, straining household budgets.[18] On December 29, the Iranian rial reached its lowest value (1.45 million to the US dollar), then by January 3, the government increased the value of the rial to 1.38 million in an attempt to control the people. This had no effect, and on January 6, the rial broke its record low again (reaching 1.5 million to the US dollar), causing a sharp increase in prices, including of food and other essential goods.[21][18] The economic crisis, which had been developing over several years, is accompanied by fears of renewed conflict following the 2025 Twelve-Day War with Israel and renewed UN nuclear-related sanctions imposed through the snapback mechanism.[18]
Initially concentrated in Tehran's bazaars, amongst Bazaari, the protests spread to major cities such as Isfahan, Shiraz, and Mashhad.[18] In Tehran, protests centred around the Grand Bazaar, where merchants staged strikes demanding government intervention, while footage shared on social media showed security forces using tear gas to disperse demonstrators.[18] As the demonstrations grew in size, protesters in multiple cities chanted for political change, including calls for "freedom" and explicit opposition to the government.[22]
On 8 January 2026, the intensity and scale of the protests increased significantly. In response, the Iranian government cut off internet and telephone services nationwide in an attempt to quell the protests.[23][24]
Beginning in 2024, Iran's economy saw sharp rates of inflation, devalued currency, and an energy deficit, culminating in repeated electricity and gas disruptions, and apologies from Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian. Iran had also suffered from major declines in global influence such as with the fall of the Assad regime, a major ally.[25] In the final months of 2025, Iran's economy experienced an unprecedented surge in exchange rates, a sharp depreciation of the Iranian rial with the U.S. dollar reaching approximately 145,000 tomans.[26][27] Additionally, the country's state statistics centre reported an inflation rate of 42.2% in December 2025, an increase of 1.8% compared to November.[18] Food prices rose by 72%, while health and medical goods increased by 50% year-on-year.[18] Iran is also experiencing a mismanaged water crisis.[19] Reports in Iranian media also indicated that the government planned to raise taxes with the start of the Iranian new year on 21 March, fuelling further concern among citizens.[18] Some protest messaging linked economic hardship to criticism of the government's foreign policy priorities; during the December 2025 demonstrations, some participants chanted "Neither Gaza nor Lebanon, My Life for Iran".[28] Discontent in Iran has also been alleged to have been due to political corruption, with protesters accusing the Iranian government of authoritarianism and prioritising proxies like Hezbollah and Hamas over domestic needs.[20]
Economic analysts cited government monetary and fiscal policies, economic mismanagement, chronic budget deficits, and the continuation of international sanctions as key contributing factors. These conditions directly affected trade guilds, particularly businesses dependent on imports. Severe exchange-rate volatility left many merchants unable to price goods, secure supplies, or continue economic activity.[29][30][31][21]
According to The Guardian, the economic crisis was the catalyst for the protests, however they had expanded as an expression of grievances with government corruption.[14] It further reported of voices calling for the overthrow of the government, and distrust in the government's calls for dialogue, seeing them as self-serving and deceptive.[14] NPR reported that months before the protests, public anger and frustration had been mounting due to severe energy shortages, civil rights abuses and widespread corruption, and that the protests sparked concerns that they would deteriorate into something much more serious.[33]
According to the Atlantic, the political character of the protests was manifested by protesters chanting "Death to the dictator" in reference to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei,[34] and their loss of faith in Pezeshkian, who was elected in 2024 on the platform and promises of good governance, but had overseen water and electricity cuts, while failing to deliver on the promise of lifting internet censorship.[34] Pezeshkian also promised to meet with protest representatives, and recognised "the constitutional right of peaceful protest",[34] although he lacks control over Iranian security forces. By 1 January 2026, dozens of protesters had been arrested and there were several documented cases of security forces firing live ammunition at protesters, including students, pensioners, and members of Gen Z.[34] Students at Shahid Beheshti University released a statement declaring that "This criminal system has taken our future hostage for 47 years. It won't be changed with reform or with false promises".[34]
The protests were described as Iran's largest since 2022, when nationwide demonstrations erupted following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini while in police custody for allegedly wearing her hijab improperly.[18] On 30 December, Ellie Borhan, a British-Iranian activist, viewed this wave of protests as stronger than previous ones.[35] Iranian public faith in their government faded since the 2022 crackdown on the Woman, Life, Freedom movement during the Mahsa Amini protests.[25] Protests were previously held in May 2025 by truck drivers beginning in Bandar Abbas, who blocked roads and ports in Iran due to discontent over low salaries, high insurance rates, and possible hikes in fuel prices in the future.[36]
A comparison between these rounds of protests reveals both continuity and transformation in Iran's protest dynamics. A notable development in late 2025 was the ideological shift within the protest slogans. New chants increasingly reflecting monarchist sentiments echoed through the cities where the protests are concentrated. Already in June 2025, during the Iran–Israel war, the exiled crown princeReza Pahlavi had intensified his political efforts and appealed to the international community to help the Iranian people force out Ali Khamenei's religious dictatorship offering himself up as interim leader to take over running the country.[37] Pahlavi also presented Israeli strikes on Iran as "an opportunity", which drew significant criticism from many Iranian opposition figures.[38][39]
Market traders were influential during the 1979 Islamic Revolution, helping to mobilise public support that ultimately led to the overthrow of the monarchy.[18] The demonstrations were notable in the context of a large-scale government crackdown on dissidents, including arrests of prominent opponents and the highest number of executions in nearly 40 years.[32] Executions in Iran have reportedly doubled in 2025 compared to 2024; the execution trends were on the rise since 2022, with activists alleging that the Islamic Republic aims to use executions to instil fear in their population and therefore suppress internal opposition.[40]
Timeline
Animated GIF of the geographical scope of the protests
Initial bazaar protests
28 December 2025
On 28 December, groups of shopkeepers and merchants at Alaeddin Shopping Centre in Tehran and other commercial centres, including Charsou Mall, went on strike by closing their shops. Simultaneously, protest gatherings formed around these locations, and images and videos of widespread shop closures circulated on social media.[30] According to reports, protesters cited the rising dollar exchange rate and market instability, warning that continued conditions would lead to the bankruptcy of many small and medium-sized businesses. Some gatherings extended into surrounding streets, including Jomhuri Street.[29][41][42] Other people had joined in with the shopkeepers to protest against economic conditions at Jomhuri Street. Elsewhere, iron traders at Iran closed their shops in similar protests of the devalued currency.[43] Around the time that the protests began, the value of the Iranian rial sunk to a record low of 1.45 million per US dollar before slightly recovering to 1.38 million.[44] The rial had lost approximately 40 percent of its value since the Iran–Israel war, in part due to the sinking of oil revenue from US sanctions. The year on year inflation rate was up at 42.2 percent. The protests were first started by shopkeepers who sold electronic goods in central Tehran who shut down their stores.[21] State media revealed blurred footage of initially smaller-scale protests from merchants.[44]
Videos and eyewitness accounts showed groups of merchants chanting slogans against economic mismanagement and, in some cases, expressing anti-government sentiments.[41] Protesters also chanted "Law Enforcement, support, support," calling on security forces to back the protests.[45] The protesters' main demands included stabilising exchange rates, addressing merchants' economic hardships, creating a predictable business environment, and preventing losses caused by market volatility.[29][41] There were no reported clashes with security forces on this day and it remained peaceful.[46]
The protests continued into their second day on 29 December and expanded across various parts of Tehran, including the Grand Bazaar. Merchants and shopkeepers closed their businesses and gathered in the streets to protest the unprecedented collapse of the rial and sharp increases in currency and gold prices. Protesters voiced opposition to economic conditions and government management, citing declining purchasing power and rising living costs. Videos shared online showed continued gatherings around Lalehzar, Chaharsouq, and Jomhuri Street, with participants largely non-violent while conveying critical messages toward government economic policies.[47][48][49] The merchants at the Grand Bazaar in Tehran joined the electronic goods shopkeepers who had started the protests the previous day.[21]
Footage verified by independent sources showed crowds at malls near Tehran's Grand Bazaar chanting "freedom" (Persian: آزادی, romanised:Âzâdi).[32]Law enforcement forces used tear gas to disperse demonstrators outside the Alaeddin Shopping Centre.[50] Protests also spread to other cities in Iran.[51] On the night of 29 December 2025, protests were reported in several regions across Iran, including Qeshm in the south, and Zanjan and Hamadan in the north. Demonstrators chanted slogans critical of the supreme leader, including "Death to the Dictator" on Qeshm Island and "Seyyed Ali [Khamenei] will be toppled this year" in Zanjan.[52][32]Iran International reported a video of one protester sitting in the middle of the Jomhuri Eslami Street at Tehran and refusing to move for motorbike security forces, later being beaten and forced to leave. The video went viral online, with multiple news outlets comparing the protester and event to Tank Man during the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre.[53][54][35][55]
Spread across Iran
30 December
By the third day of protests, strikes and security measures had expanded, with shops closing in parts of Tehran such as Shoush and Molavi, as well as in Isfahan's Naqsh-e Jahan Square. Heavy security deployments were reported in Tehran, Mashhad, and at Khajeh Nasir University. Government responses included ordering temporary closures in 11 provinces, including Tehran province, due to cold weather and energy constraints. Security forces fired on protesters in Hamadan and deployed tear gas in Tehran and Malard.[56][57]
Demonstrations spread to additional cities, including Kermanshah, Shiraz, Yazd, and parts of Tehran such as Shadabad and Shush. Students from universities including Amirkabir, Beheshti, Khajeh Nasir, Sharif, Science and Culture and Tehran Science and Technology as well as Isfahan University of Technology and Yazd University joined rallies, chanting slogans such as "Death to the dictator", "death to Khamenei", "Neither Gaza nor Lebanon, My Life for Iran", "We are all together", and "Seyyed Ali (Khamenei) will be toppled this year."[57][58][59][22][60] President Masoud Pezeshkian, called on the government to listen to citizens' demands. In response, a government spokesman said a Communication Group would be implemented.[61][62] However, Pezeshkian's comments do not appear to have appeased the protesters, whose demands go beyond just economic stability.[22] Furthermore, some Iranians have expressed scepticism in the government's ability to solve the economic problems, citing previous government statements that they are unable to do much about solving the economic problems.[63] Human rights organisations and Gen Z student groups reported that 11 protesters were arrested in the Shoush Square area in Tehran and that 5 students were detained and 4 were later released.[64][65][66] Another news report published that one student was severely injured at Tehran's Amirkabir University during a crackdown on a campus gathering by members of the Basij militia of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.[64]
Videos on social media appeared to show students chanting slogans critical of the government, removing signs associated with the office of the Supreme Leader's representatives, and confronting security forces at university entrances.[64]
31 December
The people of Isfahan, Kermanshah, and Fasa gathered on the fourth day of protests. In Fasa, people held a large rally in front of the governor's office, and in Kermanshah, the markets went on a complete strike. According to reports, police fired live ammunition and tear gas, at the protesters.[67][68] At the same time, in Shirvan, working and retired teachers gathered in front of the Education Department. In Kermanshah, repressive forces have been deployed from Ferdowsi Square to the garage (about 8 kilometres), and the heavy presence of security forces is noticeable.[69] One person named Mahdi Samavati was reported to have been killed outside the governor's office protest in Fasa. The semi-official Mehr News Agency quoted the governor of Fasa as denying this report.[70] Video recordings disseminated online and distributed by the People's Mojahedin Organisation of Iran depict severe confrontations between demonstrators and security forces in several cities, including Tehran, Isfahan, Shiraz, and Kermanshah.[citation needed]
Protester Amirhesam Khodayarifard was killed by a handgun shot to the head by an Iranian security force member in a protest in Kuhdasht, Lorestan province on 31 December.[71] The state-run IRNA news agency and Mehr confirmed the death and stated that Khodayarifard was a member of the Basij.[72] Government authorities pressured Khodayarifard's family to state that he had been a Basij member and called for online social media silence on the topic.[71] The shooting occurred during clashes with protesters. According to Mehr, 13 police officers and Basij members were injured.[72][73]
The government ordered nationwide total business shutdown in most of the country due to "cold weather",[74] although some analysts say that the real intention is to stifle protests.[75] The shutdown was applied to 21 out of Iran's 31 provinces.[76]
The government began threatening to crack down on protesters,[77] and the U.S. State Department stated that they were concerned about protesters "facing intimidation, violence, and arrests."[78] Video footage records protesters like merchants, women's rights activists, and students commonly shouting the slogans "Death to the dictator" and "Neither Gaza nor Lebanon, my life for Iran".[20][79]
In response to the ongoing protests, the Iranian government appointed Abdolnasser Hemmati, a former economics minister, as the new governor of the Central Bank of Iran, following Mohammad Reza Farzin's resignation.[80]
Protesters waving the Islamic Republic flag with the government emblem removed
1 January 2026
On the fifth day of protests, workers and employees of the central fruit and vegetable market in Tehran stopped working and joined the nationwide uprising by stopping the distribution cycle. Chanting the slogan, "You know with zeal, support support", the protesters called on marketers and the general public to strengthen the national will for change by expanding the strikes. Police officers used tear gas to disperse the demonstrators.[81] According to reports, Sarira Karimi, secretary of the faculty council of the Faculty of Law and Political Science and a member of the faculty council of the University of Tehran, who had been arrested on 31 December 2025, was released on 1 January 2026.[82]
Protesters were reported to have gathered in Marvdasht and chanted slogans against the Islamic Republic government, such as "This is the year of blood, Seyyed Ali is overthrown".[83] In Mashhad, protesters gathered at Saadi Metro Station, where riot police attempted to disperse the crowd with force.[83]
In Lorestan, home to the Lur minority, protesters were reported lighting fires in the streets while also chanting, "This is the year of blood, Seyyed Ali is overthrown". Additional reports claim officers used live ammunition against protesters.[84] In Lordegan County, gatherings took place in several parts of Lordegan City, including around the governor's office and the municipality square. According to these reports, as tensions escalated, some individuals attempted to damage government and bank buildings. Police used tear gas to disperse the crowds, and clashes were reported between the two sides. Several people were injured during the unrest, and unconfirmed reports suggested that multiple deaths had occurred.[85] At least three people, including a boy, were killed in Lordegan.[86][87] There was a heavy presence of government forces in Qom.
On 2 January, according to credible media reports, protests continued in large numbers in Tehran, Qom, Isfahan, Shiraz, Ilam, Mashhad, Karaj, Zanjan, Hamadan, and Qeshm.[88] In Zahedan and Tehran, protests became active again. Funerals for protesters killed by the security forces were held in Fuladshahr, Kuhdasht, and Marvdasht, during which participants expressed opposition to the government, including chants of "Death to Khamenei". At the Kuhdasht funeral for Khodayarifard, Basij and IRGC forces were chased away from the funeral with stones and chants. Khodayarifard's father confirmed that his son was not a Basij member.[89]
Protests on 3 January were greater in geographic spread and numbers of protesters than on previous days, and the security presence was also greater.[90] The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) and Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) named some of the locations of demonstrations, including Kazerun, Malekshahi, Kermanshah, Shiraz, Mashhad, Arkavaz, Isfahan, Tehran, Hafshejan, Karaj, Shahrekord, and Fardis. HRANA reported a cumulative count of 16 fatalities since the beginning of the protests, including one member of government security forces.[91][90] The themes of the protests, as represented by slogans chanted on 3 January, ranged from economic injustice and governance problems to calls for freedom and justice. HRANA viewed the protest aims as having evolved, with "the boundary between trade-related and everyday demands and political demands ha[ving] become blurred, and [the] ongoing protests hav[ing] taken shape on the basis of accumulated, multilayered grievances."[90]
Following statements by US President Donald Trump, where he warns Iran that if they shoot protesters, the United States will come to their rescue,[92] Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei responded on 3 January by saying "We will not yield to the enemy", and stating that the "rioters must be put in their place."[93][94] On the same day, the US State Department made a statement condemning suppression on protesters' funerals.[95]
There was a heavy presence of security forces in the Grand Bazaar of Tehran.[97] Protests and strikes took place in at least 20 major cities and small towns throughout Iran.[98] Donald Trump said that Iranian authorities would be "hit very hard" should additional protesters be killed.[99]
5 January
On the ninth day, the protests continued throughout Iran. In Tehran's Bagh-e Sepahsalar neighbourhood, voices echoed chants of "Death to Khamenei". Near Tehran University, special forces stood on high alert, while reports of widespread strikes emerged from cities such as Marvdasht, where resistance pulsed through daily life.[100]
In Yasuj, security forces confronted the families of detainees gathered outside the governor's office. Reports say that the protests have reached the smaller towns of Saman, Sangsar, and Kushk, as part of dissatisfaction of the Iranian people.[101]
In addition to the cities previously mentioned, protests were also reported in several other locations across the country, including Saman in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province, Sangsar in Semnan Province, Zahedan, Fardis in Karaj, Meshkan in Fars Province, and Noorabad in Mamasani. Demonstrations were further documented in Qazvin, Hamedan, Ilam, Mashhad, Neyshabur, Abadeh, Bushehr, Babol, Bojnourd, Kushk in Isfahan Province, Shazand in Markazi Province, as well as the northern cities of Rasht and Sari. According to reports, protesters in these areas gathered in public spaces, chanting slogans and expressing dissatisfaction with the Khamenei government, reflecting the continued spread of nationwide unrest.[102][103][104]
A sit-in was conducted by protesters at the Grand Bazaar in Tehran.[109] Merchants at the market held strikes, in particular with many shops in the corridors of the gold and currency, fabric, and footwear and home appliances markets partially or fully closed. The strikes appeared to be spontaneous, and according to some reports the Bazaar became a "war zone".[110][111] The sit-in was dispersed by security forces using tear gas.[109]
The total number of protest locations over the ten days was estimate by HRANA to be 285 locations in 88 cities[112] across 27 provinces, with protests having taken place in 22 universities. The slogans of the protests continued to cover a wide range of economic, social and political grievances.[110]
In Yazdan Shahr, locals reported that police used excessive force against protesters, initially deploying tear gas and later firing live ammunition at civilians.[111]
The security forces' raids on the Sina Hospital in Tehran and on the Imam Khomeini Hospital in Ilam, aiming to arrest injured protesters, gained national attention. In Ilam, families and medical staff resisted the security forces. Security forces' methods of attack at the Ilam hospital included firing tear gas inside the buildings and hospital grounds. The Minister of Interior was ordered to investigate the Ilam raid and provide a report.[110]
On 6 January, a total of 15 forced video confessions by arrested protesters had been broadcast on official media.[110]
On online social media, Reza Pahlavi called for chants to take place from homes and in streets at 8pm IRST on the evenings of 8 January and 9 January. He explained the aim as being to "keep [the] demonstrations disciplined, and as large as possible". He promised to "announce the next calls to action" depending on the response to his call.[113]
7 January
According to HRANA, street gatherings, protests and strikes took place in 37 cities in 24 provinces, bring the total since the beginning of the protests to 348 sites across 111 cities in 31 provinces. Ten universities joined the protest on 7 January, making a total of 45. The total number of televised forced confesssions by arrestees rose to 40. Artists and teachers published statements supporting the protests and criticising the security forces' repression against protest participants.[114]
HRANA interpreted the continuation of the protests despite arrests and violence by the security forces as showing that "a significant portion of [Iranian] society [had come to view] the cost of protest as lower than the cost of silence and inaction". Key themes continued to be economic and governance grievances, seen as "two facets of a single issue". HRANA interpreted the artists' and teachers' statements as showing that "professional and cultural sectors [we]re increasingly aligning themselves with the protest narrative".[114]
IRGC-affiliated media reported that protesters killed two Law Enforcement Command officers during protests in Lordegan, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Provinces as well as an unspecified security force member in Malekshahi, Ilam Province.[107]
8 January
Protests began after Pahlavi called for people to make their voices heard. Telephone line and internet cuts occurred in several cities in response. Crowds chanting in Tehran appeared to be mainly pro-Pahlavi. CBS described the protests as reaching "a possible tipping point".[117][118][119]
The Lion and Sun flag has become a widely used symbol of opposition to the Islamic Republic. Although its display inside Iran is strictly banned, protesters have increasingly begun waving it despite the serious risks involved.
Opposition
National strikes
Nationwide strikes were conducted by businesses, stores, cafes, and workers as well as by online shops and social media influencers.[123][124][125][126][127]
During the protests, several notable slogans were chanted by demonstrators, reflecting anti-government sentiments, calls for the restoration of the monarchy, and unity among protesters. These slogans were frequently documented in videos and reports by Persian-language media outlets such as Manoto and Iran International. Many drew on historical references to the Pahlavi dynasty, while others directly targeted Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei or the Islamic Republic's leadership. Symbols associated with the protests included the Lion and Sun flag, which was waved in several demonstrations as a sign of monarchist aspirations and opposition to the government.[121][17][128]
"Neither Gaza nor Lebanon, My Life for Iran" (Persian: نه غزه نه لبنان، جانم فدای ایران, romanised:Na Qazze na Lebnan, jânam fadâ-ye Irân) — a chant that expresses the opposition of some Iranians to the Islamic Republic's military, financial, and political support for Palestinian militant groups, neglecting the needs and interests of Iran itself.[28][141]
"Don't be afraid, don't be afraid, we are all together" (Persian: نترسید، نترسید، ما همه با هم هستیم, romanised:Natarsid, natarsid, mâ hame bâ ham hastim) — a chant promoting unity and courage among protesters, chanted during nighttime gatherings in Isfahan.[142][135]
"Dishonourable, dishonourable" (Persian: بیشرف، بیشرف, romanised:Bi-sharaf, bi-sharaf) — directed at security forces or government officials.[143]
"This is the final battle, Pahlavi will return" (Persian: این آخرین نبرده، پهلوی برمیگرده, romanised:In âkharin nabarde, Pahlavi barmigarde) — a phrase conveying determination for regime change and the return of the Pahlavi family, chanted in Arak, Rasht, Khorramabad, Isfahan, Nahavand, and Dorud.[153][154][155][138][17][135]
"The Shah is coming home, Zahhak is overthrown" (Persian: شاه مییاد به خونه، ضحاک سرنگونه, romanised:Shâh mi-yâd be khune, Zahâk sarnegune) — referencing Persian mythology (Zahhak as a tyrant) to symbolise the overthrow of the current government and return of the Shah.[156]
Organisation
As of 7 January, HRANA viewed the protests as being networked.[114] On 8 January, the Associated Press viewed the protests as "broadly leaderless" on 8 January, and described Reza Pahlavi's influence as unclear.[157]IranWire viewed Generation Z Iranians as "one of the most visible and active groups" in the 2025–2026 protests, whose political views were strongly impacted by the Mahsa Amini protests of 2022–2023.[158]
During the protests, the government imposed significant restrictions on internet access to limit communication and the dissemination of information. Although no official nationwide shutdown was announced, connectivity was heavily disrupted in cities experiencing active demonstrations, making it difficult for citizens to send messages, share media, or organise further protests. These measures were widely seen as part of the authorities' efforts to suppress dissent and control the narrative around the unrest.[159]
Iran International reported that on 2 January 2026, Iraqi militias affiliated with the Iranian government recruited forces to assist Iranian security forces in suppressing protests in Iran.[160] On 6 January 2026, it was reported that approximately 800 members of Iraqi Shia militia groups, including Kata'ib Hezbollah, Harakat al-Nujaba, Sayyid al-Shuhada, and Badrhad had been sent to Iran.[160] The troops were reportedly transported through the border crossings of Shalamcheh, Chazhabeh, and Khosravi, officially under the cover of a "pilgrimage to the holy sites of Imam Reza in Mashhad," while in practice they were gathered at a base in Ahvaz before being dispatched to various regions to assist in suppressing protests.[160] According to Iran International, "The reason behind this move by the Islamic Republic could be its concern that the Iranian police might not follow orders to attack unarmed, ordinary people, or simply because its forces are insufficient to stop protests in more than 100 cities".[161]
On 31 December 2025, during a protest in Fuladshahr, Dariush Ansari Bakhtiariwand was shot with a Kalashnikov rifle by security forces. He died before reaching medical care.[162]
While participating in a protest in Kuhdasht on 31 December, Amirhesam Khodayarifard (either 21[72] or 22[71] years old) was shot dead with a bullet to the head by a plainclothes retired IRGC agent.[181] Eyewitness testimony and video evidence showed that Khodayarifard was among the protesters.[71] Government media stated that protesters had been throwing rocks at security forces, and that Khodayarafid was killed "after" the rocks had been thrown.[182]
Governmental media, including Mehr News Agency,[72] claimed that Khodayarifard was a member of the Basij. The governor of Kuhdasht, an Imam of Friday Prayer, and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) members visited Khodayarifard's family. Permission for the family to access Khodayarifard's body and carry out a burial was conditioned on the family making a televised statement stating that Khodayarifard had been a member of the Basij.[71] Governmental authorities gave warnings on Telegram and Instagram forbidding the publication of information about Khodayarifard's killing.[71]As of 5January2026[update], the authorities, who were pressuring Khodayarifard's family to state that he was a Basij member, had not given the body to Khodayarifard's family, according to IranWire.[181]
1 January
Two protesters, Ahmad Jalil, 21, and Sajjad Valamanesh, 28, were killed in Lordegan on 1 January 2026. Both were shot by security forces with live ammunition and died later from their injuries.[163][164]
On the evening of 1 January, two men and a teenage boy, Shayan Asadollahi, 30, Vahab Musavi, and Mostafa, 15, residents of Azna (in Lorestan province) were killed by gunfire from security forces.[87] The IRGC-aligned Fars News Agency stated that the protesters had either tried to attack a police station[166] or had tried to disarm the security forces.[87] Ahmadreza Amani, 28, was shot in the chest by security forces at around 18:00 IRST in Azna and died in hospital.[169]
Khodadad Shirvani, 33, a Marvdasht resident, was shot with shotgun pellets by security forces on the same evening in Marvdasht. He died after being transferred to a hospital.[168] In Nurabad (Lorestan province), Ahad Ebrahimpour Abdoli, 35, was lethally shot the same evening with three bullets (one to his heart) by security forces during a protest in Ba'ath Square in Nurabad. Security forces and the Imam of Friday Prayer pressured Abdoli's family to say that he was a Basij member and that he was shot by "enemy forces".[167]
2 January
On 2 January, a 42-year-old protester, Ali Azizi Jafarabadi, a Kurdish man from Harsin County was shot dead by security forces in Harsin.[171]
3 January
On 3 January, the total number of arrested protesters had increased to 132 according to Hengaw[183] or 582 according to HRANA.[90]
Iran International estimated the death count of protesters to be at least eight, the number of locations to be 113 locations in 46 cities across 22 provinces, with at least 44 people shot and wounded by live ammunition or pellet guns fired by Iranian security forces.[184][185]Four protesters were shot dead with "military-grade" weapons by IRGC members at protests in Malekshahi County in Ilam province; forty were injured and many taken to hospital.[172]
4 January
By the early morning of 4 January, Iran International reported the death toll from the protests to have risen to at least 16.[186]HRANA estimated that since the beginning of the protests there had been 990 arrests and 51 cases of injuries to protesters, mostly from pellet and plastic bullets.[98]
5 January
The total number of arrested protesters rose to 1,200 on 5 January.[187]
Iranian authorities claimed to have arrested a Mossad agent partaking in the protests, with the agent allegedly confessed to being recruited, trained by, and continuing communication with Mossad, and said that Mossad handlers told him to go to people's residences, but was later instructed to move his "operations" to local marketplaces.[188]
6 January
On 6 January, a total of 2,076 protesters had been arrested, and at least 34 protesters and 2 police officers had been killed, according to HRANA.[110]
7 January
HRANA estimated 140 new arrests of protesters or identifications of previously arrested protesters, making a total of 2217, including 165 minors and 46 university students. HRANA counted 38 deaths, including 29 adult protesters, 5 minor protestors, and 4 security officers.[114]
Government forces
Government authorities repeatedly presented fatalities during the protests as members of the security forces killed by protesters, after which evidence from witnesses and family statements showed that the victim had been shot by the security forces.[174]
Government media claimed that Amirhesam Khodayarifard, killed on 31 December, was a member of the Basij.[73] Eyewitness reports and video evidence, collected by Hengaw, contradicted this claim, in particular showing that he was standing among the protesters and was killed by a shot to the head by a security forces member.[71] Initially, authorities conditioned family access to Khodayarifard's body on the family making a televised statement that he was a Basij member.[71] During the funeral, which took place on 2 January, Khodayarifard's father confirmed that his son was not a Basij member.[89]
On 3 January, Al Monitor referred to a statement by Mehr that IRGC member Latif Karimi was killed during clashes in Malekshahi County,[175] during which four protesters were killed by "military-grade" weapons by the IRGC.[172] On 4 January, eyewitnesses and other sources clarified that Karimi was present among the protesters when he was shot by IRGC members, and died in Imam Khomeini Hospital in Ilam. Karimi was a retired brigadier-general by profession. Karimi's son stated on Telegram, "My father's only 'crime' was telling [the government security forces] not to shoot at the people."[174]
Reactions to the protests ranged from calls for dialogue and economic relief to warnings of force. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said officials should talk to protesters, but added that "rioters must be put in their place".[189] As the unrest continued, President Masoud Pezeshkian announced economic measures including changes to foreign-exchange subsidies intended to shift support directly to consumers.[190] Abroad, U.S. President Donald Trump warned that the United States would intervene if Iranian authorities violently suppressed "peaceful protests".[191] The European External Action Service urged Iran's security forces to exercise restraint and called on authorities to uphold rights including freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.[192] Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel "identify with the struggle of the Iranian people for freedom, liberty and justice". He also mentioned the possibility that the people would take their fate to their hands.[193]
Analysis
On 2 January, Iran International cited the opinion of analysts, including intelligence analysts and journalists, who suggested that Iran might have entered the early stages of regime collapse.[194]
On 4 January, according to the New York Times, Iranian officials, including foreign minister Abbas Araghchi, described the government as being in a "survival mode", with difficulties in either reversing economic problems or handling the military threat of attack by the United States or Israel. Pezeshkian held two emergency meetings following the start of the protests. Some of his advisers recommended that he publicly criticise the role of Khamenei as supreme leader.[140]
A 5 January analysis in Foreign Policy argues that the 2025–2026 protests differ from the Mahsa Amini protests in that the 2025–2026 protest are more geographically widespread, including small towns rather than just major cities, and involve a broader range of groups, including students, workers, women, and ethnic minorities. The analysis also saw differences in the international context as significant, with Trump's unpredictability and overt willingness to violate international law as a factor differing from Biden's approach, and the fall of the Assad regime as a weakening of Iran's regional support. The authors also saw the focus of the 2025–2026 protests as shifting from social reform to regime change.[4]
In early January 2026, The Times referred to intelligence reports stating that Khamenei had an escape plan, for him and about twenty close associates and family members, including Khamenei's son Mojtaba Khamenei, ready to flee to Moscow in case security forces defected to the side of the protesters. Beni Sabti, a former Israeli intelligence officer, stated that he expected Moscow to be Khamenei's preferred location of exile if he fled.[141]
In early January, Army of the Men of the Naqshbandi Order expressed support for the Iranian opposition against the Iranian government, calling the Iranian regime a "fraudulent mullah regime" although it is a statement due to the weakening of JRTN since 2016 militarily[195]
↑Government media claimed that Amirhesam Khodayarifard, killed on 31 December, was a Basij member and pressured the family to support the claim. Family and independent media stated that was not a Basij member. See Government forces for details.
↑Government media claimed that Latif Karimi, killed on 3 January, was an IRGC member. Eyewitnesses and family stated that he was a protester, professionally a retired brigadier-general, shot dead by IRGC forces while protesting. See Government forces for details.
↑"Iran Says Regime Loyalist Killed as Protests Turn Violent". The 21-year-old member of the Basij—a volunteer force tasked with protecting the Islamic Republic—was killed after demonstrators threw stones in Kuhdasht, in western Iran's Lorestan province, the state broadcaster IRIB reported.
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