A solidarity rally against the Islamic Republic in Perth, Australia, 10 January 2026
Iranian officials and institutions, both from the Islamic Republic and opposition, as well as foreign governments, international organisations, and public figures, offered varied responses to the 2025–2026 Iranian protests. The demonstrations were met by an internet shutdown and then a brutal crackdown that human rights groups and media have described as a nationwide massacre of protesters. Iranian state authorities defended the security response and portrayed the unrest as violent or foreign-backed, while opposition figures and activists accused the government of ordering mass killings. As of 13January2026[update], estimates of the total number of protesters killed range from 2,000 to 20,000, making them some of the largest massacres in modern Iranian history.[1][2][3]
Western governments and international organisations condemned the reported use of live ammunition and mass fatalities, called for accountability and independent investigations, and warned of diplomatic or economic consequences. The United Nations addressed the violence in emergency forums, while civil society actors, Iranian diaspora communities, and public figures worldwide organized demonstrations and urged stronger international action in response to the mass killings.
The Iranian regime declared they would arrest anyone who has been on the streets after 14 January with criminal charges.[4] The Iranian penal system declared they would create a database of all past and future possible crimes of protestors and their family members.[5]Ali Khamenei called President Trump "a criminal" and inexperienced for interfering in Iranian affairs and a Pharaoh and Nimrod and Imperial Iran, and that Islamic Republic is based from blood of hundreds of thousands of noble people and won't back down agains "vandalists",[6][7] while Trump has called Khamenei "a sick criminal".[8][9] The Iranian government has shut down the Ham-Mihan newspaper and threatened athletes and public figures if they talk about the protests.[10][11]
The government has an undeclared curfew going,[12] deployed tanks, drones,[13] snipers,[14] and checkpoints in Iranian cities, with soldiers raiding houses and searching door to door in order to arrest protestors.[15] One Iranian soldier has been sentenced to death for refusing to obey the order to shoot civilians.[16][17][18][19][20]
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has reported that they have tracked Iranian officials moving money out of Iran as they begin "abandoning ship".[21][22]Reza Pahlavi has called out the regime for its genocidal repressive campaign against Iranians.[23] Khamenei's IRGC command has called for war, calling Iranian people "our atom bomb".[24] Minister of Foreign relations Abbas Araghchi has warned that war against Iran will be long and will be taking to the entire region.[25] The Iranian regime-aligned Wikipedia editors have also attempted at revising Wikipedia pages to delete text around the regime massacres conducted by it.[26][27]
FARAJA General Ahmed Radan has given 3 days ultimatum until 22 January to everyone involved in any way in the protests to give up themselves to the police.[28]
Tehran Stock Exchange lost 8000 billion toman in total market value two times.[29] Merchants received allowances 20 minutes of limited internet visiting times at the hall of Tehran chamber of commerce.[30]
The Chinese have sent 16 military cargo aircraft to aid the government.[31]
On 27 January, Middle East Eye reported that the US is considering strikes on the Iranian regime and military as soon as this week.[32] That same day, government deputy of digital economy was fired for criticizing class based internet domain access.[33]
That same day Trump declared a second armada had sent to Iran. He has threatened the Iranian regime that next round of attack would be much worse like with Venezuela and cause "major destruction", RFERL /RadioFarda has described Iranian armed forces as "Practically Naked", President's spokeswoman Mohajerani has stated that Iran will defend but won't start a war.[34][35][36][37][38][39] Iran's rial, fell to its lowest record 1.5 million to $1.[40]LeMonde has described the effects of regime massacres in Iran as collective shock.[41] IRGC General Abdulrahim Moussavi of Joint Chief of Staff has threatened without IRGC there will no longer be name for an Iran.[42]
On January 27th Iranian regime relayed emergency executive powers to provinces for purposes of government continuity and accelerate the import of basic commodities.[43]
On January 28th Iranian regime partially restored internet against threat of US military intervention.[44] It also started apprehending doctors, one sentenced to death.[45]
Ali Shamkhani threatened "unprecedented response" ,that they would declare war and preemptive full attack against United States and Israel.[46][47]
According to Time the comparable massacre in history would be the NaziHolocaust murder of 33000 Jews in the Babyn Yar.[48]
Meta started hiding Instagram followed users for Iranians.[49] List of offsprings of Iranian regime officials abroad was posted online on January 28th.[50]
Iranian regime embezzled families of arrested protestors hundreds of millions of tomans for their release.[51]
On January 30th Iraqchi called 6 foreign ministries of Muslim countries Qatar, Egypt, the UAE, Pakistan, Oman, and Turkey and went to Turkey to visit FM Hakan Fidan and President Erdogan.[52][53]
NYTimes wrote "Iran enjoys diplomatic cover from Moscow and Beijing , The EU condemns but lacks further leverage. Arab leaders prefer a weakened Iran that brutalises its own people to a liberated Iran that inspires imitation. Campus activists and global do-gooders who profess deep concern for Palestinian lives but show little interest in Iranian ones. It's left to the United States to impose meaningful consequences on the Iranian regime for one of the worst atrocities of this century."[54]
AI
Iranian regime used ai generated images to deny massacres and harm morale.[55][56] Mashhad Imam Khamenei's close ally Ayatullah Ruhollah Alamulhuda claimed all the videos of protestors on the streets are allegedly fake and ai generated and voiced overs.[57][relevant?]
Executions
IRGC armed troops raided hospitals shooting wounded protestors.[58] Analysis by Joseph Epstein suggested Velayat-e Faqih will put ideology over strategy and that will execute people in numbers, designating them as Mohareb and Baghi designations.[59] The government penal system has also stated that they will charge public disruptors with Muhareb. Several Iran regime-affilated muslim clerics worldwide have charged President Trump with muhareb charges.[60][61][62][63][64]
Bloomberg report highlighted that offspring of Ali Khamenei , Mojtaba his second eldest child,has mansions in north London and a property empire worth hundreds of billions of dollars in west.[66]
OFAC sanctioned 6 individuals IRGC Intelligence Organization General Majid Khademi , IRGC’s Seyyad al-Shohada Corps in Tehran General Ghorban Mohammad Valizadeh, IRGC commander of Hamadan General Hossein Zare Kamali, General Hamid Damghani who is the IRGC commander of Gilan , LEF General Mehdi Hajian who is the commander of the faraja for Kermanshah, Mehdi Hajian, zedcex digital crypto exchange.[67]
There has been reports of alive protestors being shoved into body bags, finishing shots, while there is a shortage of body bags amidst reports of full morgues.[71][72] One protestor hid in the dead bodies for 3 days in order to survive.[73][74] The government also used garbage trucks to transport bodies of teens killed.[75][76][77][78]
The guardian reported some soldiers disobeyed burying the victims in mass graves fearing reprisals.[79]
IRGC forces were shooting at crowds of scattering people while they were running away.[80]
Military
Iranian government ordered closure of its air space on 25 January.[81]
Ayatollah Akberi Imam of Tehran Friday prayer has told people that they will launch missiles and attack countries where there have been trillions of dollars of American investment in the region.[82]
Kurdistan Freedom Party claimed missile attack on their positions by Iran.[83]
Turkiye started building up along their border for Iranian refugees from possible attack on Iran.[84]
Sattar Hashemi, the Minister of ICT, claimed that the internet shutdown would only be temporary.[85] According to BBC and RFERL, to keep the internet censorship going, Iran kept only a small portion of the population in the country unaffected by internet disruption.[86][87]
Internet architects and leaders have condemned Iranian regime two tier internet including Geoff Huston, Tor Project, EFF, Anousheh Ansari, and Signal founder.[88] The Iranian government's Headquarters for Enjoining the Good and Forbidding the Evil called on the government to cut off internet gateway fully.[89][90]
RFERL Radio Farda started shortwave broadcast in Iran.[91]
Iranians diaspora downloaded Psiphon Conduit app on their devices helping Iranians inside Iran to get connected to the Internet.[92]
Iranian regime-websites reports shows that officials are contradicting each other on if the internet will ever be restored[93]
Source
Statements
Ministry of Communications Announcement
- The decision on the certainty of the Internet has been made by the security authorities.
- The Ministry of Communications is pursuing communication.
- The results of the actions will be subsequently notified
Abbas Araghchi
Foreign Minister
Connecting the Internet soon with full security deployment
- Enseries for faster Internet connection of embassies
Sattar Hashemi
Minister of Communications
- We're seriously following up.
- This decision was made according to the security situation and by the security authorities.
Sattar Hashemi
Minister of Communications
- We're looking for a return on communications and the Internet.
- The Internet must return to normal with the approval of the relevant security authorities
Fatemeh Mohajerani
Government Spokesman
- Proportionate the government is not Internet access disruption.
- This decision was made by the security agencies.
- We hope to see the right to free access to the Internet as soon as possible.
Fars News Agency
There will be no change in the status of Internet access until the actions of the terror cores are subsided.
Vice President of Science
Consultation with the National Center for Cyberspace and the Ministry of Communications to remove or reduce the access restrictions of some major IT companies
Sitna News Agency
Network tests are underway to prepare for an international internet connection.
By controlling security threats, a decision will be made to establish international communications of the country.
Mohammad Siraj
Member of the Parliament's Social Committee
The Internet will be available tomorrow (Monday ٢٩ D) or finally Tuesday, December 30th.
Masoud Medekian
President
The Supreme National Security Council to remove internet restrictions as soon as possible
Hossein Afshin
Vice President of Science
The Internet will be slowly back to normal by the end of the week.
Reza Al-Afat Nasab
President of the Virtual Business Union
The Internet is back to normal these days.
Hossein Delirian
Spokesperson of the National Cyberspace Center
Internet of merchants and merchants established
Mohammad Aratianfar
Member of Government Information Council
The internet is likely to be connected next week.
Ali Akbar Pourjamshidian
Secretary of the State Security Council
You can’t tell the exact time for the internet connection.
Jafar Ghaempanah
Executive Vice President
- The Internet must be connected; how long can we cut it?
- We hope we don't have the instability of the Internet anymore.
Farshid Shokrokhodai
Member of Chamber of Commerce
- The merchants' Internet is not yet connected.
-Traders are in line and check in an email room
Computer Trade Union Organization of the country (Nasr)
Connecting a number of companies, including cryptocurrency exchanges, to the international Internet
Fars News Agency
- The process of international Internet connection began yesterday (Thursday, February)
- The re-connection of the international Internet was announced to the Ministry of Communications after approval by the Supreme National Security Council.
- The Internet will be fully established in all provinces in the next 24 hours (Saturday, February 4th)
Iran Cooperative Chamber
International Internet for Economic Activists in the Cooperative Sector
Yousef Median
Son of the President
I don't know when the internet will connect.
Ministry of Communications
The claim of the Persian news agency is denied.
- The Internet connection order has not been communicated
Vice President of Science
The Internet of Digital Businesses will be established in the next two days
Government institutions
Iranian regime shutdown the schools and colleges and dorms and banks for weeks.[94][95]Supreme Court of Iran demanded National Information Network gets deployed immediately.[96] Government arrested several lawyers in several cities according to their lawyers.[97]
Cyber
Government denied cyber attacks have been successful breaches at Bank Sepah and Minister of ICT Information Technology Organization.[98][99]
The regime confiscated 158 personal starlink terminal satellite dish/routers.[102][103]
International travel and aviation
Amid the unrest, several international airlines cancelled flights to and from Iran. On 9 January 2026, Dubai Airports' website showed at least 17 flydubai flights between Dubai and Iranian cities were cancelled. Turkish Airlines cancelled 17 flights, while Turkish carriers AJet and Pegasus also cancelled flights to Iranian destinations. Hamad International Airport's website showed at least two Doha–Tehran flights were cancelled.[104]IndiGo and Air India also altered flight routes around Iran and flights overflowing Iranian airspace were cancelled temporarily after 26 January.[105]
Responsibility to protect
On 13 January, Hengaw argued that the massacres of protesters were crimes against humanity under customary international law and the Rome Statute, and called for the 2005 Responsibility to protect (R2P) political commitment of the United Nations General Assembly to be invoked. Hengaw called for "the international community [to] seriously consider all lawful mechanisms provided under international law, including binding coercive measures under the Charter of the United Nations" of which the aim is "not political intervention, but the immediate and effective protection of civilian lives and the cessation of mass killings".[106]
High ranking generals associated with the IRGC have threatened protestors and American president Trump including General Javani, General Rahim Safavi, General Vahidi, General Abdelrahim Mosavi, General Ali Abdellahi, General Ghorbani, General Karami, and General Shekarchi.[114][115][116][117][118][119][120][121]
Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Shirin Ebadi has called for taking out IRGC commanders.[122]
Cabinet
Iranian National Tax Administration made 90% of businesses tax exempt for the rest of year.[123]
Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of Iran, said, "We talk to the protesters, but the rioters must be put in their place."[125] On 17 January 2025, Khamenei stated that thousands of individuals had been killed, some of them "some in an inhuman, savage manner", and attributed responsibility for these deaths to the United States and Israel.[126][127] Khamenei said they have broken the enemy's back.[128] Khamenei X page had posted that "We will not surrender to the enemy", to which Elon Musk replied "زهی خیال باطل" .[129] Khamenei also called protestors unwanted elements harmful bad for society, that they won't let go of internal criminals and international criminals, but they don't intend to go to war with US.[130][131] On 24 January Khamenei went to hiding in underground bunker tunnel space.[132] Supreme Leader has been mocked by Iranians and in chants where is called Moosh Ali (Rat Ali).[133]
Supreme Defense Council
Defense council has warned that they would be launching preemptive strikes.[134]
Supreme National Security Council
SNSC ordered a issued an information blackout media gag order.[135]
Security council
Securiy council has stated that they do not know the time at which the internet would be restored.[136]
Expediency discernment council
IRGC General Mohsen Rezaei has threatened that they have to end the ceasefire with Israel due to Trump's rhetoric.[137]
President
President Masoud Pezeshkian stated in a televised broadcast, "We are at total war with Israel, Europe, and the United States of America",[138] and said that "if we do not resolve the issue of people's livelihoods, we will end up in hell".[139][140][141]
Iranian Parliament
The Iranian Parliament threatened on 20 January, as tensions with the US were running high, that an any attack on Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will lead to Jihad.[142]
The security commission has called for assassinating Trump for his role in the protests.[143]
The legal commission stated there is no problem in the country, but for enemies.[144]
Tehran representative called Trump "Yellow Yankee Animal Buffalo".[145]
Reformists Front
According to Iran International, amid concerns over the collapse of the Islamic Republic and the fall of Ali Khamenei, in addition to the increasing number of protesters killed by security forces, the Central Council of the Iranian Reform Front held an emergency meeting behind closed doors, at the conclusion of which a statement was drafted, calling for the resignation of Khamenei and the transmission of state control to a "transitional council".[146] However, upon learning of the statement, security forces issued "heavy and blatant" threats to the leaders of the alliance as well as warnings of widespread arrests, and the statement was withdrawn.[146]
Other senior officials
FARAJA Chief Shirazi stated that the Islamic Republic is not defeatable.[147]Fatemeh Mohajerani, the government spokesperson, stated on social media that the government acknowledges the protests and that it would also hear "harsh voices."[148]
On 7 January 2026, Iranian army commander-in-chief Gen. Amir Hatami said Iran viewed escalating "hostile rhetoric" as a threat and would respond if it continued, after U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu voiced support for the protests.[149]
Iranian Chief Justice Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje'i warned that there would be "no leniency" for those he said were helping "the enemy" amid continuing unrest and blamed the United States and Israel for using "hybrid" methods to destabilize Iran.[150]
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, said that "malicious individuals and organised movements" sought to turn demands into "chaos", while also stating that public livelihood-related concerns should be addressed responsibly. Qalibaf threatened that Iran will attack all U.S. bases in the Middle East if the U.S. military strikes Iran.[151][152]
Amoli Larijani, Head of the Expediency Discernment Council, said "criticism and demands are the right of the nation", but argued they should not be expressed in a way that signals to Iran's "enemies".[153]
Foreign minister Abbas Araghchi called on U.S. President Donald Trump to reopen negotiations in an op-ed published in The Guardian, according to Iran International.[154] Araghchi also said that he views the demonstrations of Iranians abroad protesting against the regime as "very dangerous".[155] Araghchi engaged in a diplomatic dispute with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz concerning Iran’s domestic protests and the conflict in Gaza. Merz condemned the Iranian regime’s "brutal violence" against protesters, characterizing the crackdown as a "sign of weakness" and asserting that the regime was in its "final days." In response, Araghchi argued that Germany’s credibility on human rights had been "obliterated" by its support for Israel’s military actions in Gaza.[156] Araghchi had later denied Iran beginning negotiations.[157]
Ahmad-Reza Radan, Iran's national police chief stated on 19 January, that those who were "deceived" into taking part in the demonstrations, or "riots" as the government defines them, had three days to turn themselves in.[158]
Bahraini cleric Sheikh Issa Qasem said millions of Iranians are ready for sacrifice for Khamenei.[159]
Defections
On 18 January, a Ministry of Interior official sent an audio message to Iran International stating that he had defected, in the sense that he had participated in the protests, where he witnessed security forces firing on protesters using Heckler & Koch G3 rifles, and in response to a call by Reza Pahlavi, he had stayed home from work. The official described the government as "ruthless". The official remained anonymous for security reasons.[160]
State actions and economic measures
On 31 December 2025, after a government building was attacked in Fasa, authorities placed almost the entire country on leave until 4 January 2026, while stating that the reasons were cold weather and energy saving.[161]
The government paused subsidising the rial-to-U.S.-dollar exchange rate, a method long used to support imports and curb inflation.[162][163]
The Iranian government imported 800 members of foreign militias to quell the protests.[164]
Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref tendered his resignation, but it was not accepted by President Pezeshkian.[166]
Mehdi Sanaei, the Political Advisor to the President, also resigned.[167]
State media
Fars News Agency described the strike and demonstrations as "riots" and warned of individuals allegedly infiltrating bazaars to turn economic slogans into political ones.[168]
An IRGC-affiliated local outlet connected to the IRGC Lorestan provincial barracks claimed that protesters were being provided ammunition and firearms by trucks without licence plates.[169]
Reactions by public figures
Former IRGC General Mohammad Ali Jafari warned Iran would deliver a "crushing blow" in the event of another attack by Israel.[170][171]
Prominent jailed reformist politician Mostafa Tajzadeh criticised the government's handling of the economic crisis and called for political change, while also stressing that "peaceful protest is the inalienable legal right of citizens".[172][173]
Mehdi Taremi, captain of Iran's national football team, called on officials to listen to public demands and commented on worsening economic conditions.[174] Former Iran national team captain, Masoud Shojaei, criticised FIFA for its silence over the killing of Iranian athletes during the protests.[175]
A doctor was quoted by The Sunday Times on 17 January as describing the killings as "genocide under cover of digital darkness".[176]
International reactions
France
The French opposed recognizing IRGC a designated terror foreign group.[177]
Yemen
Ansarullah Houthis threatened they would engage if Iran was attacked.[178]
Lebanon
Hezbollah said they are no longer remaining neutral.[179]
Iraq
Kataib Hezbollah declared Jihad and called for mobilization in support of the Iranian regime.[180]
Turkiye's FM said they would continue importing Iranian oil and gas.[182]
Russians
Sergey Lavrov stated that I see no reasons to stop joint projects with Iran.[183]
Arabs
Arab states opposed an attack on Iran for them to be able to gain more concessions.[184] UAE and Saudi Arabia denied airspace from United States military.[185]
Reza and Farah Pahlavi
On 20 January, Reza Pahlavi addressed Ali Khamenei saying, "Just as the Nazi criminals were tried and punished in Nuremberg, you and your accomplices will be tried and punished in the court of the Iranian nation."[186] Addressing the Iranian people he said "You are not alone; your resistance has changed history. This regime has broken away and its downfall has begun." He also urged the people to prepare for a broader return to the streets, promising that the day of reclaiming Iran was near.[187]Farah Pahlavi, widow of the Shah, stated in an interview with Agence France-Presse, that "there is no turning back" after the protests, conveying admiration for Iranians and saying that "for 47 years (she) wished (and) waited for Iran's freedom."[188] She added that her return to Iran "will take place soon."[188]
On January 11, 2026, a U-Haul truck was used to ram into a crowd of anti-Iranian government protesters in Westwood, Los Angeles, California. The solidarity rally in support of the Iranian protesters was scheduled to start at 2 p.m. outside of the Wilshire Federal Building in the 11000 block of Wilshire Boulevard, and the vehicle plowed into a crowd estimated at more than 3,000 people at around 3:34 pm.[193][194] At least two people were injured.[195] The truck displayed a sign saying: "No Shah. No Regime. USA: Don't Repeat 1953. No Mullah."[194] A similar slogan, "No to Shah, No to Mullahs", has been used by the National Council of Resistance of Iran, which is the political wing of the Islamist-Marxist organization, People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (MEK).[196] Many Iranians on social media pointed out that the messaging on the side of the truck is commonly associated with supporters of the MEK.[197] Before the attack, a crowd of more than 3,000 protesters was demonstrating in Westwood, Los Angeles, near a federal building, in support of the Iranian protesters.[194][198][199] Officers with the Los Angeles Police Department secured the area surrounding the truck, which showed visible damage, including a shattered windshield and broken windows, after crowds attacked the vehicle.[194] According to the Los Angeles Police Department, Calor Madanescht, 48, was staging a counterdemonstration as he approached protesters gathered near the Federal Building in Westwood.[200] Investigators said the truck was searched and impounded, but nothing significant was found inside.[200] Madanescht was booked into the Los Angeles County Jail with $0 bail, and faced a misdemeanor charge for reckless driving.[200] He was released the following day on his own recognizance.[201][202] Authorities allege Madanescht deliberately drove the truck into the protest area.[202] Investigators said they do not view the incident as terrorism or politically driven, and said the driver does not have a known criminal record.[202] The FBI was present and working alongside LAPD as investigators assess motive, and the case will be presented to the Los Angeles City Attorney.[202][200]
Iranian diaspora holding a solidarity rally in Perth, Australia, on 10 January 2026 against the Islamic Republic
Australia's Foreign Ministry stated that the Australian government condemned the violence committed by Iranian authorities and called on Iran to respect the rights of peaceful protesters.[205] The Australian embassy in Iran shut down its operations. Australian citizens were urged by the government to leave Iran as soon as possible due to violent crackdowns and arrests carried out by Iranian security forces.[206]
Iranian Australians have staged demonstrations across major cities, including Sydney and Brisbane in solidarity with the anti-government protests in Iran, following a deadly crackdown by the Islamic Republic. Protesters gathered outside locations such as Sydney Town Hall and at rallies like Brisbane's "All Eyes on Iran," condemning Iran's economic collapse, corruption, and the killing of demonstrators by security forces. Organisers and speakers from advocacy groups said the rallies aimed to amplify the voices of Iranians facing violent repression, called for the end of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's regime, and expressed support for exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, urging the Australian government and international community to stand with the Iranian people.[207] On 13 January 2026, Sky News Australia reported that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong expressed support for the protests against the Islamic regime.[208][209]
Baloch actors
The recently formed People's Fighters Front (PFP), a Baloch nationalist and separatist group, endorsed the protests on 1 January but said that it will not directly intervene in the protests to avoid blame from the Iranian government. However, it also said that it is monitoring the situation and vowed to respond to governmental violence against protesters.[210]
Protest in Gothenburg, Sweden against the Iranian regime on 17 January 2026
On 3 January 2026, the European External Action Service (EEAS) said the EU was closely following developments across Iran and called on Iranian authorities to uphold rights including freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly, including ensuring access to information, and to refrain from violence against protesters.[214]
On 9 January 2026, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, along with French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, issued a joint statement expressing deep concern over the violence perpetrated by Iran's security forces and condemning the killing of protesters.[215] On 13 January 2026, Merz stated that "we are now witnessing the final days and weeks of this regime". He argued, "if a regime can only stay in power through violence, then it is effectively finished."[215]
India
The Ministry of External Affairs issued an advisory to Indian nationals on 5 January to not travel to Iran during the ongoing protests. The Indian Embassy in Tehran also urged citizens to contact Indian officials and leave the country at the earliest, particularly to Indian students, pilgrims, business persons and tourists visiting or residing in Iran.[216][217]
Israel
The national intelligence agency of Israel, Mossad, showed support for the protests, stating "We are with you. Not only from a distance and verbally. We are with you in the field."[218]
Israeli defence officials were on high alert, monitoring the possibility of an Iranian missile attack. Several Israeli politicians expressed support for the protests.[219][220]
On 4 January 2026, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israelis "identify with the struggle of the Iranian people" and suggested it was "quite possible" the protests marked a moment when Iranians were "taking their fate into their own hands".[221]
Kurdish actors
The Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK) called on urgent political coordination among Kurdish parties to "articulate a unified political position, and agree on joint Kurdish measures and practical steps that respond to the aspirations of the people and the realities on the ground.”[222]
The Kurdistan Free Life Party (PJAK) issued a public statement expressing support for strikes and demonstrations by merchants and citizens. In its declaration, the organisation attributed Iran’s ongoing social and economic crises to long-term state policies of repression, economic mismanagement, and political exclusion.[223]
The Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran (KDPI) expressed support for public demonstrations and labour actions, citing severe inflation and deteriorating living conditions across the country.[223]
The Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan, publicly endorsed the protests and strikes by merchants and citizens, describing them as legitimate responses to economic hardship. In its statement, the party held the Iranian government responsible for worsening economic conditions, citing resource misallocation and regional military expenditures.[223]
Ukraine
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy issued a dual Persian and English statement in support of the protests and calling upon the international community to intervene in favor of the protesters.[224] He referred to the protests as an "uprising" and noted how they will hamper Russia, saying, "it is a clear sign that it will not be easier for Russia".[225]
United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom, members of the Iranian diaspora held a solidarity rally outside 10 Downing Street in London on 3 January 2026, organised by the Association of Anglo-Iranian Women in the UK.[226]
The United Kingdom's Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) advised against all travel to Iran, warning that the UK government would not be able to evacuate British nationals or provide face-to-face consular assistance in the event of serious unrest or a deterioration in the security situation.[227]
On 10 January 2026, protests were held outside the Iranian Embassy in London, during which a demonstrator climbed the outside of the building and removed the flag from its balcony, replacing it with the Lion and Sun flag.[228] The demonstrator was later arrested for aggravated trespass.[229]
Following the protests, opposition leader and leader of the Conservative party Kemi Badenoch told the BBC that she would "not have an issue" with Iranian regime change and said she supported the involvement of the US and its allies. She claimed that Iran posed a direct threat to the UK, saying it would "very happily wipe out the UK if it felt it could get away with it".
On January 2026, Leader of the right-wing Reform UK party Nigel Farage called on the British government to support the protests in Iran.[232]
United Nations
On 5 January, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres urged respect for peaceful protest during the unrest.[233] On 11 January, he released a statement saying he was "shocked by reports of violence and excessive use of force by Iranian authorities against protesters across the country, urging restraint and the immediate restoration of communications."[234]
A rally against the Islamic Republic was held in Lafayette Square, Washington, D.C.
The United States Department of State expressed support for the protesters and urged the Iranian government to respect citizens' rights and respond to their concerns instead of resorting to "violent silencing."[236]
U.S. President Donald Trump said that Iran's leadership has "got a lot of problems. They have tremendous inflation. Their economy is bust. And I know that people aren't so happy," also criticising the government's violent response to protests: "They kill people. Every time they have a riot, or somebody forms a group, little or big, they start shooting people."[237]
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Michael Waltz posted on social media, "The people of Iran want freedom. They have suffered at the hands of the ayatollahs for too long. We stand with Iranians in the streets of Tehran and across the country as they protest a radical regime that has brought them nothing but economic downturn and war."[238]
On 2 January 2026, Donald Trump stated that the U.S. would intervene if Iran responded violently to the protests.[239] Trump stated on Truth Social, "If Iran shots[sic] and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue. We are locked and loaded and ready to go."[240][241]
On 4 January, President Trump warned that the United States could intervene if Iranian authorities escalated their response to ongoing nationwide protests, saying Iran would be “hit very hard”[243] if security forces continued killing demonstrators. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said the US was closely monitoring the situation and signalled that further violence against protesters could trigger a strong American response.[244]
On 5 January 2026, the US State Department posted a warning to Iranian leadership on its Persian-language X account stating that "President Trump is a man of action. If you didn’t know before, now you do. Don’t mess with President Trump."[245]
On 6 January 2026, the US State Department[246] addressed the assault on the hospital after the Malekshahi massacre, during which security forces of the Islamic Republic stormed the Imam Khomeini hospital in Ilam where injured protesters were hospitalized.[247] In a post on X it stated that "Storming the wards, beating medical staff and attacking the wounded with tear gas and ammunition is a clear crime against humanity",[246] further adding that "Hospitals are not battlefields. These measures by the Islamic Republic regime are a gross violation of international law and show a complete disregard for human life."[247]
On 7 January 2026, in an interview on Fox News, US senator Lindsey Graham issued a warning to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, saying, "To the Ayatollahs: you need to understand—if you keep killing your people who are demanding a better life—Donald J. Trump is going to kill you."[248] He added that "change is coming to Iran," calling it biggest shift "in the history of the Mideast to get rid of this Nazi regime."[248] He also referred to the ayatollah as a “modern-day Hitler” addressed Iranian citizens saying "To the people of Iran, help is on the way."[248][249][250]
On the same day US Senator Ted Cruz stated that he supported the Iranian protests against the "tyrannical" and "theocratic" regime.[251] He also stated that "the Ayatollah is a zealot. He is a murderer, and I think the regime is fatally weakened as a consequence of losing the war".[251] He further offered his opinion that "the people of Iran want to stand with America," and that "they want to stand with freedom. They want to stand with the West. And tragically, they have suffered under this radical Islamist regime"[251] adding "very few things would produce greater peace in Iran, across the world than seeing the end to this to radical regime."[251]
Laura Loomer, an ally of Trump in the MAGA movement, publicly requested that Trump invite Reza Pahlavi to the White House for a meeting, and that Elon Musk provide Starlink Internet to the Iranian people until Ali Khamenei is overthrown, stating that due to the budget shortage in Tehran, there was an unprecedented opportunity to change the regime.[252]
Additionally, after an anonymous Iranian named a street in Iran after President Trump, the US State Department praised the individual in its Persian language account on X, stating that they "appreciate the action of an anonymous individual in Tehran to name a street after President Trump,“ adding that "the United States respects the voice and aspirations of the Iranian people. We remain committed to supporting their efforts to achieve greater freedom, prosperity, and opportunity.”[253]
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that "The United States supports the brave people of Iran".[254]
On 18 January 2026, US President Donald Trump told Politico "It’s time to look for new leadership in Iran", referring to Khamenei, and said "What he is guilty of, as the leader of a country, is the complete destruction of the country and the use of violence at levels never seen before,"[255][256][257] adding that "The man is a sick man who should run his country properly and stop killing people," and "His country is the worst place to live anywhere in the world because of poor leadership."[255][256][257]
A January 2026 Quinnipiac poll found that 70% of Americans oppose U.S. military involvement in Iran, including 79% of Democrats, 80% of independents and 53% of Republicans.[258][259]
Steve Witkoff, the U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East, reportedly held a secret meeting with Reza Pahlavi, the exiled former Crown Prince of Iran.[260] In mid-January 2026, reports emerged that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi sent a personal message to Witkoff stating that Iran had canceled the planned execution of 800 anti-regime protesters. This communication is said to have been instrumental in persuading President Trump to refrain from ordering immediate military strikes against Iran.[261]
Protesters in the United States held placards warning of what they described as a "genocide in the making", drawing comparisons to the Holocaust and denouncing what they called the regime's campaign of "terror".[262]
Reactions by international public figures
In January 2026, according to Deadline, a group of 800 professionals of the film industry, including Juliette Binoche, Marion Cotillard, Camille Cottin, Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos and others, released a statement condemning the "killing and torture" of Iranian protesters by the Islamic Republic.[263] The statement decried the fact that "In response to the widespread and peaceful protests of the Iranian people against repression, poverty, discrimination, and structural injustice, the Islamic Republic has chosen not to listen to the voices of its people, but to respond with live ammunition, mass killings, widespread arrests, torture, enforced disappearances, and a nationwide shutdown of the internet,"[263] adding that "The deliberate shutdown of the internet and the suppression of media constitute a clear attempt to conceal these crimes and prevent the documentation of truth. These actions represent a blatant and systematic violation of all fundamental human rights, including the right to life, liberty, human dignity, and security, and constitute a clear case of crimes against humanity."[263]
Additionally, the creators called upon "independent international institutions, film festivals, cultural and artistic institutions and the global community of filmmakers and artists" to publicly join the condemnation, "support the struggle" of the Iranian people, and reassess their relationships with the regime.[264]
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