Iran enters its twelfth consecutive day of widespread civil unrest as protests initially sparked by economic grievances evolve into a direct challenge to the Islamic Republic’s clerical leadership. The movement, which originated with Tehran’s bazaar shutdown on December 28 following the rial’s catastrophic devaluation, has now expanded across all 31 provinces with demonstrations reported in 348 locations according to HRANA monitoring group.
Security forces have intensified their response, deploying tear gas and live ammunition against protesters in multiple regions. In the southeastern hub of Kerman, security personnel reportedly opened fire on demonstrators while violently assaulting civilians according to Iran Human Rights. The Norway-based organization confirmed at least 27 protester fatalities, including five teenagers under eighteen, with warnings that the death toll will likely increase as additional killings are verified.
The protest movement has gained symbolic momentum with videos circulating showing participants in Kuhchenar, Fars province, toppling a statue of Qassem Soleimani, the Revolutionary Guards commander killed by a U.S. strike in 2020 who is officially celebrated as a national hero. Nighttime demonstrations have continued with footage from Karaj showing crowds lighting street fires while security forces attempt dispersal tactics.
Exiled opposition figures, including Reza Pahlavi (son of the deposed Shah), have amplified calls for intensified protests, characterizing Wednesday’s turnout as unprecedented. Pahlavi has warned that authorities are attempting internet blackouts to suppress mobilization efforts. Judicial authorities have vowed no leniency toward what they term rioters, following the stabbing death of a police officer near Tehran during unrest containment operations.
The sustained protests represent a significant challenge to Ayatollah Khamenei’s government, which already contends with severe economic crisis exacerbated by international sanctions and post-conflict recovery from June hostilities with Israel. Demonstrators are increasingly adopting explicitly political slogans including chants referencing Khamenei’s overthrow and the return of monarchist leadership.