Iran's nationwide protests, the largest in years, are challenging the ruling regime with growing intensity. The demonstrations, sparked by economic woes and severe inflation, have spread to 180 cities across all 31 provinces, with thousands of arrests and dozens of deaths reported since their start.
The protests began as a strike by shopkeepers in Tehran in late December, who marched into the streets to protest the devaluation of Iran's currency and spiraling inflation. The situation has since escalated, with people joining marches across the country to denounce not only economic woes but also the hardline regime more broadly.
As of Friday, protests were reported in dozens of university campuses, strikes and shop closures were reported in markets in over a dozen cities, and crowds of protesters marched through the streets of various Iranian cities, chanting anti-government slogans and clashing with security forces in some cases.
Iranian authorities have responded to the protests with force, detaining over 2,300 people, including at least 167 under the age of 18, and killing at least 65 people, mostly protesters. The Islamic Republic's Fars news agency claimed that about 250 police officers and 45 members of the feared Basij security force had been injured amid the unrest.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian directed security forces not to crack down on peaceful protesters, but the government has also offered some relief in the form of $7-a-month stipends for basic necessities. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned US threats of a US intervention, accusing the US of "inciting violence and terrorism."
The protests are the largest challenge to Iran's ruling regime in years, and they come as President Trump takes a more aggressive posture on the world stage. Trump has vowed to intervene if Iranian authorities kill protesters, saying that he will hit them "very hard" where it hurts.
Iranian opposition figure and son of the last shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi's son Reza Pahlavi, has cheered the protests from exile, urging demonstrators to keep the movement "disciplined" and "as large as possible." This could be a turning point in the protest movement, according to experts.
The current protests are different compared to previous rounds due to their roots in Iran's economic woes. The protesters now are more focused on economic problems, and there is really nothing the regime can do to get Iran's moribund economy back on track, said Mona Yacoubian, Director and Senior Adviser of the Middle East Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
These protests, they are about economic situation, but also about dignity. It's about national pride. And because of that, this protest will be very, very difficult to contain," said Bahari, editor of IranWire.
The standoff between Iran and the US is unfolding, with the US imposing sanctions on Iranian officials and the regime responding with threats of retaliation. The situation is fluid, and the outcome is far from certain.
The protests began as a strike by shopkeepers in Tehran in late December, who marched into the streets to protest the devaluation of Iran's currency and spiraling inflation. The situation has since escalated, with people joining marches across the country to denounce not only economic woes but also the hardline regime more broadly.
As of Friday, protests were reported in dozens of university campuses, strikes and shop closures were reported in markets in over a dozen cities, and crowds of protesters marched through the streets of various Iranian cities, chanting anti-government slogans and clashing with security forces in some cases.
Iranian authorities have responded to the protests with force, detaining over 2,300 people, including at least 167 under the age of 18, and killing at least 65 people, mostly protesters. The Islamic Republic's Fars news agency claimed that about 250 police officers and 45 members of the feared Basij security force had been injured amid the unrest.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian directed security forces not to crack down on peaceful protesters, but the government has also offered some relief in the form of $7-a-month stipends for basic necessities. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned US threats of a US intervention, accusing the US of "inciting violence and terrorism."
The protests are the largest challenge to Iran's ruling regime in years, and they come as President Trump takes a more aggressive posture on the world stage. Trump has vowed to intervene if Iranian authorities kill protesters, saying that he will hit them "very hard" where it hurts.
Iranian opposition figure and son of the last shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi's son Reza Pahlavi, has cheered the protests from exile, urging demonstrators to keep the movement "disciplined" and "as large as possible." This could be a turning point in the protest movement, according to experts.
The current protests are different compared to previous rounds due to their roots in Iran's economic woes. The protesters now are more focused on economic problems, and there is really nothing the regime can do to get Iran's moribund economy back on track, said Mona Yacoubian, Director and Senior Adviser of the Middle East Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
These protests, they are about economic situation, but also about dignity. It's about national pride. And because of that, this protest will be very, very difficult to contain," said Bahari, editor of IranWire.
The standoff between Iran and the US is unfolding, with the US imposing sanctions on Iranian officials and the regime responding with threats of retaliation. The situation is fluid, and the outcome is far from certain.
what's up with all this protest stuff in iran?? they're talkin bout economic woes but it feels like ppl are tryna take down the whole gov't 
inflation's got everyone stressed out rn... sounds like a recipe for disaster 
cant say I blame 'em tho, gotta feel frustrated when ur basic needs r gettin disrupted 200 bucks a month stipend aint gonna cut it, fam 
I mean, it's been going on for ages now, but people are still taking to the streets by the thousands, demanding change 
It's not just about economics, it's also about dignity and national pride, you feel? The gov's all like "peaceful protesters, yeah right" 
while they're still detaining over 2k people 
... this is gonna be a wild ride! 
Meanwhile, we're over here dealing with our own issues, trying to get by on $7-a-month stipends. Priorities, folks! 
But hey, if the protests are about economic woes and dignity, that's actually kind of admirable. It's nice to see people standing up for themselves, even if it means clashing with security forces. 
The only thing I'd add is that this could be a turning point in the protest movement, but let's not get ahead of ourselves... after all, we've been saying that for years now 
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... people are literally fighting for their basic rights and dignity 
it's heartbreaking to see so many arrests and deaths reported... but at the same time, i think these protests are about something bigger than just economic woes - they're about freedom and self-respect 
. As the demonstrations continue to spread, it's clear that the ruling regime is facing its most significant challenge in years. The fact that thousands of arrests and dozens of deaths have occurred underscores the gravity of the situation 
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. One thing is certain: the protests have become a powerful force in Iranian society, and it will take more than just empty promises from the government to quell them 
u guys really need to work on ur mobile data connection i was trying 2 post a comment but it kept dropping me and took forever 2 load i swear i spent like 20 mins just staring at that loading bar 
anyway back 2 the protests in iran they r really getting intense and it's not just about econ tho its also about dignity n pride u can feel the energy n passion of the ppl protesting 
but seriously whats with all the arrests & deaths? it feels like the regime is trying 2 suppress the message instead of listenin 2 their demands 
and it's not easy to contain this movement once it starts 
especially with trump making some weird comments 