Tehran, Iran — What began on December 28, 2025, as localized demonstrations in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar over the collapse of the Iranian rial and spiraling inflation has evolved into one of the largest protest movements Iran has seen in years, spreading to at least 28 of the country’s 31 provinces. Markets remained shuttered and protests expanded into broader denunciations of economic mismanagement and political grievances. Rights groups reported that at least 36 people have been killed and more than 2,000 arrested in clashes with security forces as of January 7, 2026.
Many Iranians say rising prices and shrinking purchasing power have made daily life untenable. In Tabriz on January 5, one demonstrator told an international news agency, “We are not asking for revolution — we are asking for dignity and the ability to feed our families,” emphasizing the depth of economic frustration behind the unrest.
Security forces have used tear gas, rubber bullets, and reportedly live ammunition against crowds, particularly in western cities such as Kermanshah and Ilam, where funerals for protest casualties have themselves become flashpoints for further demonstrations and anti-government chants.
International Reaction and U.S. Warning
The situation quickly acquired an international dimension after U.S. President Donald Trump issued a high-profile warning on January 2, 2026, stating that “If Iran shoots 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.” This statement, made on social media, marked a rare direct U.S. pledge of potential intervention in Iran’s internal unrest and immediately drew sharp reactions from Tehran.
Iran’s government condemned the U.S. comments as “interference in Iran’s internal affairs” and dismissed them as part of a broader hostile policy, with the Foreign Ministry asserting on January 7 that Washington’s posture “harbors hostility toward the Iranian people.” Tehran reiterated that any external meddling would be met with “a firm response.”
Iran’s top judicial authority also referenced the U.S. warning in its internal messaging. On January 7, Chief Justice Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei warned that “there will be no leniency for whoever helps the enemy against the Islamic Republic,” a clear allusion to both U.S. and Israeli involvement in public discourse about the protests.
The military establishment, in turn, issued its own warning. Army chief Maj. Gen. Amir Hatami said on January 7 that Tehran might undertake preemptive measures in response to what it described as “threatening rhetoric,” widely interpreted as referring to Washington’s comments, underscoring how external signals have heightened Tehran’s security posture.
Despite repeated insistence from Iranian authorities that they distinguish between peaceful demonstrators and “rioters,” the protests have shown remarkable resilience. As of January 8, 2026, many bazaars, universities, and workplaces remain disrupted, and analysts suggest that the intersection of economic grievances and political dissatisfaction — compounded by the international standoff — could prolong the unrest.
