Widespread unrest has erupted across Iran, with security forces using force and tear gas against protesters as the regime struggles to contain the most serious demonstrations in years. The trigger was the economic crisis and the collapse of the rial, which led to the resignation of the central bank chief. At the same time, protests quickly turned into open challenges to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and the regime’s repression of women.
Students, shopkeepers, and citizens have taken to the streets in Tehran and other cities, with universities once again becoming focal points of resistance, echoing the 2022 protests after the death of Mahsa Amini. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has carried out arrests and crackdowns, while authorities announced a nationwide lockdown.
Soaring inflation, youth unemployment, and widespread poverty are fueling public anger, with figures such as filmmaker Jafar Panahi describing the protests as a popular uprising demanding fundamental change.
