Days of protests grip Iran

Protests sparked by economic woes in late December 2025 in Tehran have expanded nationwide, destabilizing Iran amidst an ongoing crisis.

Protests in Iran began with merchants closing numerous markets and taking to the streets to oppose rampant inflation in late December 2025. Pictured are protestors marching in Tehran on 29/12/2025. The merchants' protest then spread nationwide, escalating into anti-government demonstrations.

The protests initially began with merchants, who closed markets across Iran and took to the streets to oppose rampant inflation in late December 2025. This economic discontent quickly fueled a broader movement that spread throughout the country, escalating into a significant wave of anti-government demonstrations.

Iranian citizens gathered on the streets of Kermanshah on 8/1.

On 7/1, shop owners in Tabriz Bazaar, the capital of East Azerbaijan province, closed their businesses to protest the country's economic situation. Tabriz Bazaar is known as the world's oldest Middle Eastern market and largest covered bazaar. Located on the ancient Silk Road, it was recognized by UNESCO as a cultural heritage site in 2010.

Protestors marched in Tehran on the evening of 10/1.

Iranian protestors gathered on the streets of Tehran on 8/1. The protest movement has since erupted in over 100 cities, reaching remote western provinces like Ilam, bordering Iraq, and Lorestan. Fueled by ethnic divisions and poverty, crowds have set fires in the streets and chanted slogans directly challenging Supreme Leader Khamenei.

Body bags placed outside the Kahrizak Forensic Center in Tehran on 11/1.

Crowds attended the funerals of security forces members and civilians who died on 11/1.

Protest crowds set fires on the streets of Tehran, Iran, on 9/1.

On 9/1, Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, 86, addressed the unrest for the first time. He accused protestors of "destroying their own country to please the president of another nation," referring to US President Donald Trump. Trump had previously warned Tehran that Washington would "strike hard" if more protestors died in Iran.

The Iranian leader asserted that foreign-backed groups are seeking to destabilize the country. He affirmed that the government "will not back down" from acts of rebellion and will not ignore individuals "acting as mercenaries for foreign powers." Khamenei stated, "It must be known that the Islamic Republic was formed by the blood of hundreds of thousands of people and will not yield to those who seek to destroy it," urging government supporters to remain united.

Conversely, thousands of government supporters also marched in Tehran on 12/1. They chanted slogans opposing US and Israel interference in Iran's internal affairs, while expressing support for Leader Ali Khamenei.

A masked person held a photo of Reza Pahlavi during a protest in Tehran on 9/1. Many chanted "Pahlavi will return," referencing the monarchy that existed in Iran before 1979. Pahlavi is the son of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last Shah of Iran, overthrown in the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Pahlavi lives in exile in the US and consistently opposes the current Islamic Republic of Iran government.

Protest locations in Tehran from 29/12/2025 to 10/1/2026. Graphic: Guardian

On 11/1, Iran's Tasnim news agency reported that 109 security personnel have died nationwide since the protests erupted. Meanwhile, the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), a US-based monitoring group, estimated over 500 deaths, including security personnel and civilians.

A woman holding a photo expressed support for Leader Ali Khamenei on 12/1.

Meanwhile, the US continued to pressure Tehran with Trump's statement that he "would not hesitate to use force" and advised US citizens to leave Iran soon.