Anti-government protests in Iran have spread to at least 180 cities across all 31 provinces, marking the largest demonstrations since the Islamic Revolution of 1979. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed on Thursday that his regime would not back down, as authorities cut internet access nationwide and deployed security forces to quell the growing unrest.
The protests, which began on December 28, 2025, were initially sparked by widespread frustration over soaring inflation, rising food prices, and the severe depreciation of the Iranian rial. However, demonstrations have quickly evolved into a broader movement demanding an end to the current regime, with protesters directly challenging the government's authority.
According to the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), at least 62 people have been killed since the unrest began, including 48 protesters and 14 security personnel. The Norway-based Iran Human Rights NGO reported that at least 45 protesters, including eight children, have lost their lives, with hundreds more injured and over 2,000 detained.
Khamenei accused demonstrators of trying to please U.S. President Donald Trump, while Iran's judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei warned that punishment for protesters will be decisive, maximum and without any legal leniency. The intensity of protests increased significantly on January 8 following a call from Reza Pahlavi, Crown Prince of Iran, for people to chant slogans at 20:00 local time.
President Trump issued a stark warning to Tehran, stating that if Iranian authorities start killing people during the protests, the United States would hit them very hard. Trump repeated that Iranian authorities better not start shooting, because we will start shooting too, though he clarified the U.S. would not put boots on the ground. The international community continues to closely monitor the rapidly evolving situation.
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