Protests have spread to all 31 Iranian provinces in what observers describe as the country’s largest demonstrations since the Woman, Life, Freedom movement of 2022. The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency reported Thursday that more than 340 protests had taken place, with the death toll reaching at least 38 and more than 2,200 arrests as the government shut down internet access.
The wave of unrest was triggered by a rapidly worsening economic situation. On December 29, the Iranian rial reached 1.45 million to the US dollar, and by January 6, it broke its record low again, reaching 1.5 million to the US dollar. The currency’s collapse caused sharp increases in food prices and other essential goods.
Initially concentrated in Tehran’s bazaars among merchants, the protests spread to major cities including Isfahan, Shiraz and Mashhad. What began as economic grievances quickly evolved into broader calls for political change.
At least seven people were killed and 44 arrested in the initial days after shopkeepers in Tehran first shuttered their businesses Sunday to protest against Iran’s economic crisis. Additional deaths were reported in central Iran, including three in Azna and one in Kouhdasht.
The Iranian government responded by cutting off internet and telephone services nationwide in an attempt to quell the demonstrations. On December 31, the government ordered broad closures in 21 of Iran’s 31 provinces, leaving much of the country shuttered.
“Rioters must be put in their place.”
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
On January 9, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei addressed the protests, calling President Trump “arrogant” and stating that his hands were stained with the blood of Iranians. Khamenei said Saturday that “rioters must be put in their place.”
President Masoud Pezeshkian took a more conciliatory approach, suggesting foreign interference was to blame for the unrest while also acknowledging domestic failures. For the first time, Khamenei and Pezeshkian publicly acknowledged that responsibility for Iran’s economic situation cannot be placed solely on sanctions.
Government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani said at a news conference that authorities would set up a “dialogue mechanism” with protest leaders, though details of how the process would work were not provided. She added that the government would “listen patiently even if there are harsh voices.”
“The government will listen patiently even if there are harsh voices because we believe our people are patient enough, and when their voices are raised, the pressure that is being put on them is high.”
Government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani
The economic crisis has been developing over several years. Iran’s economy saw sharp rates of inflation, devalued currency and an energy deficit in 2024, culminating in repeated electricity and gas disruptions. The country also suffered major declines in global influence, including the fall of the Assad regime in Syria, a key ally.
In June 2025, Iran was involved in an armed conflict with Israel during which Iran’s nuclear program was targeted, and its nuclear facilities were also struck by the United States. In September 2025, the United Nations reimposed sanctions on Iran through the “snapback” mechanism.
President Pezeshkian’s budget reflected a prioritization of security over welfare, increasing security spending by nearly 150 percent while offering wage increases amounting to only about two-fifths of the rate of inflation.
