Everything you need to know about the Iran protests—and more
The Iranist for the week of January 2, 2026
THE هفت/SEVEN THINGS TO KNOW THIS WEEK:
۱/1 Everything you need to know about the Iran protests
WHY ARE IRANIANS PROTESTING? On December 28, the Iranian rial collapsed against the US dollar, hitting 1.42 million—a more than 56 percent loss in value over six months (The Guardian/New York Times). For context, food prices are up 72 percent on average compared with the same period last year (AP). This economic shock prompted currency traders and shopkeepers in the capital, Tehran, to take to the streets.
The resulting anti-regime protests—the largest since the 2022 Woman, Life, Freedom uprising—quickly spread and have continued, with university students and young Iranians appearing to make up a significant share of the protesters (ABC News). This is hardly surprising: Gen Z led the 2022 uprising and has since shown itself to be a fearless generation unwilling to bow to the Islamic Republic.
These protests aren’t about the economy, though they were triggered by it—similar to the bloody November 2019 protests. For years—since the December 2017-January 2018 protests to be exact—Iranians have taken to the streets over systemic mismanagement, corruption, and repression. From the chants, it’s clear that the protesters want the Islamic Republic gone (see below)—dispelling the post-war myth of a “rally around the flag” effect. For most Iranians, the clerical establishment is responsible for the suffering and woes of the Iranian people—and that is at the heart of these protests.
WHICH PROVINCES ARE PROTESTING? The group Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA/HRANA) provided me with this helpful map of the protests from December 28 - January 1.
Twenty-two of Iran’s thirty-one provinces witnessed protests between December 28 and January 2, according to data provided to me by HRANA:
Alborz
Bushehr
Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari
Fars
Hamadan
Hormozgan
Isfahan
Kerman
Kermanshah
Khuzestan
Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad
Lorestan
Markazi
Mazandaran
North Khorasan
Qazvin
Qom
Razavi Khorasan
Sistan and Baluchestan
Tehran
Yazd
Zanjan
WHAT ARE THEY CHANTING? These are the chants protesters are using in alphabetical order:
“Basij, IRGC, you are our ISIS” (HRANA)
“Close them, close them; the bazaar merchants closed, the shameless are sitting” (HRANA/X)
“Death to Khamenei” (X)
“Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid, we are all together” (X/The Guardian)
“Freedom, freedom, freedom” (HRANA/The Guardian)
“Honorable bazaar merchants, support, support” (HRANA)
“Iranians, shout out and demand your rights” (X)
“Khamenei is a murderer; his rule is illegitimate” (HRANA)
“Security forces support, support,” referring to backing the protesters (X)
“Student, be the voice of your people” (ABC News)
“Long live the shah” (X)
“Man, homeland, prosperity” (HRANA)
“No to Gaza, no to Lebanon, my life for Iran” (X)
“Neither headscarf nor baton; freedom and equality” (HRANA)
“Principled shopkeepers, support, support,” referring to backing the protesters (HRANA)
“Reza Shah, may your soul be blessed,” referring to the founder of the Pahlavi dynasty (X)
“They closed the shops; the shameless are sitting” (HRANA)
“This is the final battle, Pahlavi will return,” referring to former Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi (X/X)
“This year is the year of blood; Seyyed Ali [Khamenei] will be overthrown” (HRANA/X)
“We fight, we die, we take back Iran” (X)
“Woman, life, freedom” (HRANA)
“You’re the lecher, you’re the harasser; I’m a free woman” (HRANA/X)
WHO WAS KILLED? From December 28 to January 2, at least 10 protesters were killed. Their names have been confirmed by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, a Kurdish rights group:
Amirhesam Khodayarifard, 22, shot and killed by security forces in Kuhdasht, western Lorestan province (Hengaw.net/AP). State media has portrayed Amirhesam Khodayarifard as a Basij member who was killed.
Ahmad Jalil, 21, shot and killed by security forces in Lordegan, southwestern Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province (Hengaw.net).
Sajjad Valamanesh, 28, shot and killed by security forces in Lordegan, southwestern Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province (Hengaw.net).
Shayan Asadollahi, 30, shot and killed by security forces in Azna, western Lorestan province (X)
Dariush Ansari Bakhtiariwand, 37, shot and killed by security forces in Fuladshahr, central Isfahan province (Hengaw)
Unnamed minor, 15, killed by security forces in Azna, western Lorestan province (X).
Ahad Ebrahimpour Abdoli, 35, shot and killed by security forces in Nurabad, western Lorestan province (Hengaw)
Khodadad Shirvani, 32, shot and killed by security forces in Marvdasht, southwestern Fars province (Hengaw)
Ali Azizi Jafarabadi, 42, shot and killed by security forces in Harsin, western Kermanshah province (Hengaw)
Ahmadreza Amani, age unknown, shot and killed by security forces in Azna, western Lorestan province (X)
According to HRANA, at least 119 people have been arrested across multiple provinces from December 28 to January 1. Those numbers have since increased.
CONCERNS ABOUT AI These are the first protests in Iran to occur amid advances in artificial intelligence (AI). There have been instances of videos and photos circulating online that manipulate what’s happening on the ground (See here and here).
As Mahsa Alimardani, associate director of the Technology Threats & Opportunities program at WITNESS, explained:
“The primary danger is not just fabricated content, but that the threat of AI allows authorities to dismiss authentic evidence of state violence as ‘AI slop’ to avoid accountability… Current disinformation patterns include resharing old clips as new, overlaying fake audio onto protest videos, and dismissing real images of bravery as AI-generated.” (Instagram)
This is especially concerning for documenting human rights violations. Keyvan Rafiee, director of Human Rights Activists in Iran, told me:
“These protests were the first experience for Iranian groups after AI became widely accessible. Fake videos turned into the biggest challenge for our documentation work.”
HOW IS THE CLERICAL ESTABLISHMENT REACTING? On December 29, Central Bank of Iran Governor Mohammad Reza Farzin resigned, just a day after the protests began (Reuters). Two days later, on December 31, Abdolnasser Hemmati, a former economics minister, was appointed the new head of the Central Bank (AP).
Surprisingly, on December 29, President Masoud Pezeshkian responded to the protests on X—a platform blocked in Iran, which Iranians can only access using circumvention tools.
“…I have asked the interior minister to listen to the legitimate demands of the protesters by engaging in dialogue with their representatives so that the government can do everything in its power to resolve the problems and act responsibly.” (X)
However, there are no “representatives,” as this is a purely organic uprising—much like previous protests. More importantly, this isn’t about the economy, but so much more (as noted at the top).
On December 31, Prosecutor General Mohammad Movahedi-Azad described the protests as legitimate, but warned that:
“Any attempt to turn economic protests into a tool of insecurity, destruction of public property, or implementation of externally designed scenarios will inevitably be met with a legal, proportionate and decisive response.” (France24)
HOW IS THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY REACTING? Since the protests began, mostly Western politicians have shown support for the protesters on social media, including: Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) (X); Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS) (X); Congresswoman Nancy Mace (R-SC) (X); UK Member of Parliament Nigel Farage, leader of the Reform Party (X); UK Member of Parliament Tom Tugendhat, Conservative Party (X), former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett (X); and Israeli Minister of Science and Technology Gila Gamliel (X).
The official Persian-language account of the State Department (@USABehFarsi) has also expressed solidarity with the protesters and consistently posts updates.
On December 29, the US ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz wrote:
“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.” (X)
However, the most significant statement came on January 2, when US President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social:
“If Iran shots 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. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” (X)
This is a big message—coming almost exactly six years after his first administration assassinated IRGC Quds Force Commander Qassem Soleimani on January 3, 2020, and more consequential than what the Barack Obama administration did in response to the 2009 Green Movement. But if Trump fails to follow through, this risks becoming his own “Syria red line” moment. What he means exactly remains anyone’s guess.
۲/2 Trump backs strikes if Iran rebuilds missile program
On December 30, President Masoud Pezeshkian responded:
“The response of the Islamic Republic of Iran to any cruel aggression will be harsh and discouraging.” (X)
READ: Iran sends conflicting signals on its missiles as Israeli concerns grow (Washington Post)
۳/3 Ahead of Trump-Bibi meeting, Iran claims it’s in ‘full-scale war’ with the West
۴/4 Islamic Republic carried out 2,045 executions in 2025
۵/5 US-sanctioned IRGC vet appointed deputy commander
۶/6 Iran launches 3 Satellites into space from Russia
۷/7 Iran seizes an oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz
OTHER اخبار/NEWS THAT MADE HEADLINES:
Human Rights
۰ Eight prisoners executed in multiple facilities across Iran (Hengaw)
۰ Iran carries out executions of nine prisoners in seven facilities (Hengaw)
۰ Iran carries out at least 26 executions within 48 hours (HRANA)
Domestic Issues
۰ Iran’s ailing supreme leader resorts to his only playbook as crises mount and protests erupt (CNN)
۰ Iran eases social rules amid crises—but crushes dissent (Wall Street Journal)
Foreign Policy + Security
۰ Looking back at Israel and Iran’s ‘12-day war’: Direct conflict breaks out between arch-enemies (France24)
۰ Khamenei aide vows harsh response to any aggression after Trump warning (Iran International)
۰ Iran developing unconventional warheads for ballistic missiles, sources say (Iran International)
۰ Iran designates Royal Canadian navy a terrorist organization (AFP)
Iran Deal + Sanctions
۰ Araghchi’s remarks on sanctions trigger backlash in Iran (Iran International)
۰ Ancient trade in Persian carpets imperiled by western sanctions (Financial Times)
۰ US sanctions 10 people and firms from Iran and Venezuela over drone and missile trade (AP)