Unrest in Iran: Rising Prices, Nationwide Protests and a Crackdown Across the Country

Nationwide Demonstrations Enter Second Week

Iran is experiencing widespread protests that have spread to all 31 provinces amid deepening economic distress and mounting political frustration. Demonstrations first erupted in late December 2025 and have persisted into early January 2026, marking one of the most sustained waves of civil unrest in the country since the 2022–23 “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement.

The unrest reflects a powerful mix of economic despair and broader political discontent, spreading from Tehran’s historic Grand Bazaar to towns and cities across the country. Despite government efforts to suppress dissent, including a near-total internet blackout, protests show no sign of fading.

Economic Crisis: The Root of Public Anger

The latest protests were triggered by a rapidly deteriorating economic situation in Iran. The Iranian rial has plummeted to record lows against the U.S. dollar, reducing household purchasing power and fueling soaring prices for food, medicine and basic necessities. Inflation — reported at over 40 percent — has strained family budgets and intensified hardship for ordinary citizens.

Protests began when shopkeepers in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar closed their stores in response to the steep currency decline and won public sympathy. The movement then quickly spread to other commercial hubs and universities, swelling as young people, workers and students joined demonstrations to demand relief, economic reform — and, increasingly, political change.

From Markets to the Streets: Spread of the Unrest

By January 8, 2026, demonstrations had been recorded in more than 100 cities and towns across the country, from Tehran to Isfahan, Shiraz, Mashhad and beyond, with people taking to the streets in all 31 provinces. Strikes, rooftop protests and marches became daily sights as Iranians voiced both economic and political grievances.

Many of the slogans heard in rallies moved beyond bread-and-butter issues to broader critiques of the Islamic Republic, with some protesters openly chanting against the clerical establishment and calling for systemic change.

Escalation and Government Response

The government’s response has grown increasingly forceful. In an effort to stifle information and coordination, authorities cut off most internet access nationwide, leaving much of the population unable to communicate freely online or access social media during critical moments of the unrest.

Security forces have repeatedly used tear gas, live ammunition and mass detentions to disperse crowds. Rights groups report that in the first 12 days of protests at least 45 people, including children, have been killed and thousands detained.

There are also concerning reports of security forces carrying out raids on hospitals to detain wounded demonstrators and medical staff — actions condemned by international human-rights groups as potential violations of humanitarian norms.

Political Dimensions and Calls for Reform

While the protests originated in the economy, they have increasingly taken on political meaning. Iranians of diverse backgrounds — shopkeepers, students, workers and activists — have voiced broad dissatisfaction with governance and called for accountability and change within the country’s political system.

Exiled figures, including former Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, have leveraged the protests, urging Iranians to sustain demonstrations and challenge the leadership, though the movement remains largely decentralized and grass-roots in nature.

Supreme Leader and Official Rhetoric

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has rejected protesters’ demands, framing the unrest as the work of “enemies” and external interference, particularly linking protesters to foreign powers — a narrative echoed in televised speeches that dismiss demonstrators as “vandals.”

Government and state media have accused hostile nations of trying to exploit internal discontent, even as foreign governments — including the United States and several European states — have publicly condemned the crackdown on demonstrators and called for restraint.

International Reactions and Travel Advisories

The scale of unrest and associated violence has drawn global concern. Countries with nationals in Iran have issued travel warnings advising against travel to protest zones and urging citizens to exercise caution as instability grows.

European governments and human-rights organizations have condemned the deadly use of force by Iranian security forces, while Tehran continues to blame Western sanctions and interference for its economic woes — a claim rejected by critics who point to decades of domestic policy choices and governance issues.

Wider Implications: Economy, Sanctions and Power Struggles

The Iranian protests of early 2026 are rooted in persistent economic decline exacerbated by international sanctions, regional conflict and structural challenges in Iran’s oil-dependent economy. Sanctions targeting energy exports have choked state revenues and accelerated currency collapse, contributing to widespread hardship.

For many Iranians, the crisis has underscored a sense that long-promised reforms have fallen short, widening gaps between the leadership’s rhetoric and everyday reality. The combination of inflation, unemployment, political repression and limited prospects for change has fuelled a uniquely potent expression of public discontent.

Human Cost and Civil Liberties Concerns

Human-rights advocates have raised alarms over the indiscriminate targeting of peaceful demonstrators, including minors, and increasing lethal force used by security forces. Reports from rights groups detail arrests of children and excessive force in cities such as Ilam and Qom, places once considered less likely flashpoints.

The death of children and the storming of medical facilities treating the wounded have drawn particular international scrutiny, with advocacy organizations calling for independent investigations into casualties and possible violations of international law.

A Movement in Flux: What Comes Next?

As the protests enter their second week and beyond, analysts caution that the situation remains fluid and unpredictable. The lack of a central leadership structure — combined with deep public grievances and economic instability — could either lead to a prolonged stalemate or escalate into broader challenges to the current political order.

The Iranian government’s determination to contain dissent — underscored by digital blackouts, forceful crackdowns and political rhetoric — suggests that authorities view the unrest as a serious threat to stability. At the same time, the sheer scale of participation indicates a deep reservoir of discontent that extends far beyond isolated protest sites.

For Iranian citizens, the protests represent not just a reaction to economic hardship but a potent expression of frustration with governance, human rights restrictions and the future direction of the country. How Tehran responds in the coming days and weeks could shape Iran’s domestic landscape for years to come — with significant implications for regional geopolitics and global diplomacy.