Gulf Allies Quietly Urge Trump Against Iran Strike as Protests and Crackdown Escalate
Mass anti‑government protests sparked by soaring inflation and a collapsing rial have spread from Tehran’s bazaars and university campuses into dozens of cities, prompting a harsh security crackdown — including internet blackouts, reports of live fire and arrests, and widely varying casualty counts from at least six to reports of more than 70 killed and thousands detained. Meanwhile Saudi Arabia, Oman and Qatar have privately urged the Trump administration not to strike Iran — warning such action could rattle oil markets and prompt regional and domestic blowback — even as President Trump publicly threatened force and voiced support for protesters.
📌 Key Facts
- The unrest was triggered by severe economic pain — a collapsing rial (reported as roughly 1.4 million to $1 and having lost more than half its value), annual inflation around 40–42% and cuts to subsidies — and began with Tehran bazaar/shopkeeper demonstrations and a mobile-phone market protest before spreading to students and to more than 170 locations across 25+ provinces (Tehran, Shiraz, Isfahan, Kermanshah, Lordegan, Azna, Fasa, Marvdasht, Arak, etc.), with many crowds chanting anti‑regime slogans such as “Death to Khamenei.”
- Casualties and detentions escalated rapidly: by Jan. 10 human-rights groups (HRAI/HRANA) reported roughly 72 people killed and more than 2,300 detained (earlier official and NGO tallies were lower); multiple incidents of live fire, street battles and wounded protesters were reported in cities including Azna, Lordegan, Malekshahi and Fooladshahr.
- Iran’s security response has included heightened street security (helicopters reported over some cities), reported use of tear gas and live ammunition, mass arrests, transfers of detainees to Evin prison, and judiciary orders for rapid indictments — the attorney general and judiciary leaders labeled many protesters “enemies of God” and vowed maximum punishment, including pursuing death‑penalty cases.
- The government imposed an extensive communications blackout (internet and phone cutoffs) to limit reporting and coordination; despite this, protest videos continued to surface (some outlets speculated uploads via satellite services) and state media pushed pro‑government coverage and surveillance footage framing some demonstrators as armed terrorists.
- Political leadership moves and competing official messages: Supreme Leader Khamenei publicly blamed foreign enemies (U.S./Israel) and called rioters mercenaries, while President Masoud Pezeshkian said his interior minister should hear “legitimate demands” and state spokespeople announced closures/holidays and new economic relief; the government also made appointments (e.g., Abdolnaser Hemmati named central‑bank chief) and IRGC leadership adjustments were reported.
- Tehran rolled out modest economic concessions — officials said subsidies for basic goods would be tripled and a direct monthly payment of about 1 million tomans (roughly $7) would be credited to households, funded by redirecting roughly $10 billion previously used for import subsidies — but critics and residents said the aid was inadequate.
- The U.S. response was highly public: President Trump repeatedly expressed strong support for protesters and warned the U.S. could “hit Iran very hard” or “come to their rescue” if killings continued (saying this need not mean U.S. ground forces); U.S. State Department Farsi and Israeli/Mossad social‑media posts publicly encouraged Iranians and protesters.
- Regional diplomacy and restraint pressures: Gulf states including Saudi Arabia, Oman and Qatar privately urged the Trump administration not to carry out a strike to topple Iran — warning such action would destabilize oil markets, harm their economies and provoke domestic blowback — and Oman continued a mediation role (its foreign minister visited Tehran).
- Additional indicators of intensified repression include reports of executions (e.g., the hanging of Ali Ardestani after a closed‑door conviction for alleged spying) and Amnesty’s reporting of a very high execution total in Iran the prior year; meanwhile analysts warn the regime’s security apparatus remains capable of suppressing unrest even as protests grow.
📊 Relevant Data
In Saudi Arabia, Shia Muslims constitute approximately 10-15% of the population, with a higher concentration of 25-30% in the Eastern Province, which could contribute to domestic unrest in response to actions against Shia-majority Iran.
International Religious Freedom Reports: Custom Report Excerpts — U.S. Department of State
In Qatar, Shia Muslims make up about 10% of the population, potentially increasing vulnerability to domestic blowback from conflicts involving Iran.
Religion > Shia Islam population > Number of Shia muslims — NationMaster
Ethnic minorities in Iran, such as Kurds and Baluchis, have been prominently involved in the 2025-2026 protests and face disproportionate repression in peripheral regions.
A geography of protest: Inside the rise of Iran's minority factor — Atlantic Council
During the June 2025 Israel-Iran conflict, Brent oil prices rose by 15% before quickly returning to pre-conflict levels, illustrating short-term volatility from regional tensions.
Israel-Iran war highlights Mideast's declining influence on oil prices — Reuters
Iranian emigrants from 2020-2025 are predominantly young and highly educated, with about 1.8 million migrants representing a brain drain driven by economic and political factors.
What Trends and Data Reveal About Iran's Brain Drain — Emirates Policy Center
📊 Analysis & Commentary (3)
Why the Iranian Regime Endures
"A measured deep‑dive arguing that Iran’s protests reflect acute economic pain but that the regime endures because of its coercive institutions, elite bargaining, social fragmentation of dissent, and the way external threats can paradoxically reinforce domestic support for the government."
Here’s Why the Iranian Regime Seems Invincible
"The author argues that Iran’s apparent invincibility stems from a deliberate mix of harsh repression and selective economic relief that together fragment and demobilize protests, while external threats and the opposition’s organizational weaknesses prevent demonstrations from toppling the regime."
Iran Won't Repeat 1979
"A cautionary opinion arguing that current Iranian protests should not be framed as a replay of 1979 and that the United States should avoid military intervention, instead favoring careful, multilateral diplomatic and non‑kinetic support to protect civilians and preserve space for domestic change."
🔬 Explanations (3)
Deeper context and explanatory frameworks for understanding this story
Phenomenon: Widespread anti-government protests in Iran escalating from economic grievances
Explanation: Economic collapse driven by U.S. sanctions, currency devaluation, and high inflation, compounded by systemic corruption and mismanagement, leading to broader demands for political reform and women's rights
Evidence: Inflation exceeding 52%, rial devaluation to 1.4 million per dollar, and historical patterns of protests triggered by economic issues but fueled by political repression, as seen in 2017-2018 and 2022 waves
Alternative view: Some analyses point to foreign interference or orchestrated destabilization efforts by external actors like Israel or the U.S., though evidence is limited
💡 Complicates the narrative of protests as merely economic by highlighting interconnected political and systemic failures, suggesting protests are part of a longer-term challenge to regime legitimacy rather than isolated incidents
Phenomenon: High rates of executions in Iran, exceeding 1,000 in the previous year
Explanation: Executions serve as a structural tool for state repression to deter dissent and maintain authoritarian control, with spikes occurring during periods of political unrest to suppress opposition
Evidence: Data shows at least 767 executions in the year ending March 2024, more than double previous years, often tied to drug offenses but used politically, with increases post-protests as a form of governance and oppression
Alternative view: Official justifications cite drug-related crimes or espionage, but analyses reveal these mask political motivations; some view it as cultural normalization of violence
💡 Challenges the implicit narrative of executions as routine judicial processes by emphasizing their role in systemic repression, revealing how they reinforce regime power amid unrest
Phenomenon: Execution of individuals accused of spying for Israel during domestic unrest
Explanation: Regime uses espionage accusations and executions to divert public attention from internal crises, project strength against external threats, and justify intensified crackdowns on dissent during times of conflict or protests
Evidence: Hundreds detained and executions carried out post-Israeli attacks, with historical patterns showing ramped-up spy hunts during unrest to consolidate internal control
Alternative view: null
💡 Complicates coverage focused on the execution as isolated by linking it to a broader strategy of using external enemy narratives to manage domestic turmoil, potentially masking the regime's vulnerabilities
📰 Source Timeline (19)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
January 13, 2026
6:56 PM
Iran’s Gulf Rivals Warn U.S. Against Strike on Iran
New information:
- Saudi Arabia, Oman and Qatar are privately lobbying the Trump administration not to launch a military strike aimed at toppling Iran’s regime.
- Arab Gulf officials say Washington has warned them to be prepared for an attack on Iran and have described such action as 'more likely than not.'
- Gulf governments are specifically warning the White House that a bid to topple Tehran could rattle oil markets and ultimately damage the U.S. economy and trigger domestic blowback for them at home.
- In public, these Gulf states have largely stayed silent about the Iranian protests and reported mass casualties, while privately arguing against escalation.
January 11, 2026
9:32 AM
Netanyahu and Rubio discuss US military intervention in Iran amid ongoing nationwide protests: report
New information:
- Multiple Israeli sources told Reuters that Netanyahu and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a phone call Saturday discussing the possibility of U.S. intervention in Iran.
- Israel is described as being on 'high alert' and preparing for the possibility of U.S. military intervention in Iran.
- The article reiterates that Iran has activated an internet 'kill switch,' sharply reducing connectivity, and highlights parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf’s warning that U.S. forces and Israel would be 'legitimate targets' if America strikes.
January 10, 2026
8:19 PM
Trump says U.S. is ready to help Iranians get freedom
New information:
- Trump posted on Truth Social that 'Iran is looking at FREEDOM, perhaps like never before. The USA stands ready to help!!!', going beyond earlier conditional threats tied only to killings of protesters.
- In remarks to reporters on Friday, Trump reiterated that if Iranian forces 'start killing people like they have in the past, we will get involved… that doesn't mean boots on the ground, but it means hitting them very, very hard where it hurts.'
- Iranian military and IRGC issued public statements on Saturday pledging allegiance to the regime, accusing the U.S. and Israel of being behind the protests, and calling protesters 'terrorists' while warning that harming the 'achievements' of the 1979 revolution is a red line.
- The article reports that internet service in Iran has been largely down for 48 hours but that protest videos are still being uploaded, possibly using Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite service.
- Analyst Raz Zimmt of Israel’s Institute for National Security Studies is quoted assessing that U.S. military intervention could both embolden and potentially undermine the protest movement, and suggesting Trump might wait to see how protests evolve before striking unless repression escalates.
- Omani Foreign Minister Badr Al‑Busaidi visited Tehran on Saturday, meeting President Masoud Pezeshkian and other senior officials, with Oman continuing its role as a key mediator between Washington and Tehran.
8:11 PM
Iranian protests intensify amid blackout and crackdown
New information:
- Human Rights Activists News Agency now reports at least 72 protesters killed and over 2,300 detained in the unrest.
- Iran has imposed a nationwide communications blackout with both internet access and phone lines cut off, though internal government networks are believed to function.
- Iranian Attorney General Mohammad Movahedi Azad warned that anyone participating in or helping the protests will be treated as an 'enemy of God,' a death‑penalty charge under Iranian law, and ordered prosecutors to prepare rapid indictments and trials 'without leniency, compassion or indulgence.'
- U.S. President Donald Trump posted that 'Iran is looking at FREEDOM, perhaps like never before. The USA stands ready to help!!!,' while the State Department warned Iranian leaders not to 'play games' with Trump.
- Iranian state TV is airing martial music and pro‑government demonstrations while claiming 'peace' in most cities, contrasted by AP‑verified video of large anti‑government crowds in northern Tehran chanting 'Death to Khamenei!'
- State-linked Fars news agency released surveillance footage from Isfahan that appears to show at least one protester firing a long gun and others throwing gasoline bombs at a government compound, which Iranian media use to brand some demonstrators as 'armed terrorists.'
2:55 PM
Trump's threats inspiring Iran protesters but might not deter crackdown
New information:
- Analyst Maziar Bahari says Trump’s explicit warnings have both alarmed Iranian officials and encouraged more protesters to join, as they feel backed by the U.S. president.
- Analyst Holly Dagres ties the current protests’ roots to the same 'systemic mismanagement, corruption and repression' that fueled the 2022 Mahsa Amini uprising and notes at least two Tehran hospitals are inundated with protest-related patients.
- Iran’s judiciary chief has vowed 'maximum' punishment and the attorney general has labeled all protesters 'enemies of God,' a death‑penalty charge under Iranian law.
- Iranian authorities have imposed a near‑total nationwide internet shutdown explicitly to prevent Iranians and the outside world from seeing the crackdown, according to Dagres.
- Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei publicly accused protesters of ruining streets to please President Trump, highlighting regime focus on U.S. involvement.
- Bahari notes that while some call current events a 'revolution,' there is no clear unified opposition leader; exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi is encouraging protests online and saying he is preparing to return, but his true level of support inside Iran is unclear.
January 07, 2026
3:44 PM
Iran leans into anti-Western bluster as it grapples with deadly protests
New information:
- Reports that Iran executed Ali Ardestani by hanging after a closed-door conviction for spying for Israel’s Mossad, allegedly providing images and information for cryptocurrency payments.
- Amnesty International figure that Iran executed more than 1,000 people last year, the highest annual total since 1989.
- Updated protest context: nationwide unrest has entered its 11th day, with HRANA reporting nearly 40 people killed so far.
- New U.S. angle: President Trump told reporters on Air Force One that the U.S. could hit Iran 'very hard' if protesters are not protected and previously said the U.S. would 'come to their rescue' if Iran 'violently kills protesters.'
- Specifics on the government’s new economic aid: spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani says national subsidies for basic goods will be tripled, effectively adding about $7 per month in food purchasing power, starting Wednesday.
- On-the-ground reaction: an unnamed Tehran resident tells CBS the increased subsidy is inadequate, saying a two-person family’s breakfast of eggs, bread and cheese would consume it on the first day.
- State media claim that President Mahsoud Pezeshkian has ordered security forces not to attack peaceful demonstrators.
January 06, 2026
2:53 AM
Iran offers citizens $7 monthly payments as protests spiral over economic crisis: report
New information:
- Iranian government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani announced on state TV that citizens will receive monthly payments of one million tomans (about $7) as credits for goods.
- Roughly $10 billion previously used annually for import subsidies will be redirected into these direct payments, with officials saying about 80 million Iranians will be eligible.
- The Statistical Center of Iran reported average annual inflation at 42.2%, and the currency has lost more than half its value against the U.S. dollar.
- The policy is explicitly framed by Tehran as aiming to preserve households’ purchasing power, control inflation and ensure food security, and comes as bazaars and university campuses are shut by strikes and protests.
January 05, 2026
6:08 PM
Iran protests prompt new Trump warning over deadly government crackdowns
New information:
- Trump, speaking Jan. 4, 2026 aboard Air Force One, said of Iran’s handling of protesters: 'If they start killing people like they have in the past, I think they're going to get hit very hard by the United States.'
- Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRAI) now reports that protests have spread to at least 78 cities and 222 locations.
- HRAI estimates the regime has killed at least 20 people, including three children, arrested 990 people, and detained more than 40 children during the current unrest.
- Iran analyst Shukriya Bradost and veteran observer Mardo Soghom both say Trump’s warnings are emboldening protesters, who are increasingly looking to the U.S. and Israel for help in 'disarming' and 'neutralizing' regime security forces.
- The article underscores that many protesters frame the current movement in contrast to the 2009 Green Movement and see Trump’s stance as more credible than the Obama and Biden administrations’ approaches.
January 04, 2026
11:55 PM
What to know about protests over Iran's economy as nuclear tensions remain high
New information:
- Specifies that the protests have reached more than 170 locations in 25 of Iran’s 31 provinces, according to the Human Rights Activists News Agency.
- Updates casualty figures to at least 15 people killed and more than 580 arrested in the unrest.
- Details that Iran’s rial has fallen to roughly 1.4 million to $1 after UN sanctions were reimposed in September over its nuclear program.
- Reports Iran’s annual inflation around 40% and notes recent hikes to nationally subsidized gasoline with a new pricing tier and quarterly reviews going forward.
- Clarifies that protests began with Tehran merchants over economic issues before spreading nationally and taking on explicit anti‑government slogans.
- Notes the June 12‑day war launched by Israel in which the U.S. bombed nuclear sites in Iran, tying the current economic and political pressure to that conflict.
- Describes a banner in Tehran warning that U.S. and Israeli soldiers could be killed if they take military action inside Iran.
- Adds broader context that Iran’s 'Axis of Resistance' has been badly weakened, with Hamas crushed in Gaza and Hezbollah’s senior leadership heavily degraded.
January 03, 2026
10:04 PM
Iran’s Khamenei lashes out at protesters as nationwide anti-regime unrest grows
New information:
- Details that Khamenei’s remarks came in his first public speech since strikes and unrest began seven days earlier, including his characterization of protesters as ‘enemy mercenaries’ hiding behind bazaar merchants.
- Concrete accounts from NCRI of security forces opening fire on demonstrators in Malekshahi, Ilam province, reportedly killing and injuring protesters and leaving about 30 people in critical condition.
- Additional localities and protest actions: reports of live fire in Kazerun’s Shohada Square and road blockades with burning tires in Shiraz’s Golshan district.
- Specific protest slogans from university students, including ‘Students will die but not accept humiliation’ at Shahrood University of Technology and ‘Death to the dictator’ at Allameh University’s Hemmat dormitory in Tehran.
- Expanded opposition reaction, with extended quotes from NCRI leader Maryam Rajavi calling for the end of Khamenei’s rule and asserting that ‘80 million Iranians are his enemy,’ and from Reza Pahlavi comparing Khamenei to the mythic despot Zahhak.
- Citation of HRANA’s estimate that demonstrations have occurred in more than 100 locations across 22 of Iran’s 31 provinces, and a death toll of at least 10 protesters so far.
9:07 PM
Iran's leader says rioters 'must be put in their place' as protest death toll rises to at least 10
New information:
- Ayatollah Ali Khamenei made his first public comments on the protests, aired on state television from Tehran, saying 'rioters must be put in their place' and distinguishing between 'protesters' and 'rioters.'
- Khamenei claimed, without evidence, that foreign enemies such as the U.S. and Israel are driving the unrest and blamed 'the enemy' for Iran’s collapsing rial.
- The article updates the known death toll from the protests and surrounding violence to at least 10 people after a week of demonstrations, noting they are Iran’s largest since the 2022 Mahsa Amini uprising though not yet as intense.
- Analysis from Eurasia Group is cited saying Iran lacks organized domestic opposition and that the regime’s security apparatus is likely capable of suppressing the unrest without losing control.
- The piece links Trump’s intervention threat to Iranian officials’ vows that U.S. troops in the region could be targeted, and notes the comments gain added weight after Trump’s announcement that U.S. forces captured Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro, a close Iranian ally.
January 02, 2026
11:55 PM
Trump threatens to intervene in Iran if regime continues to kill protesters
New information:
- President Trump posted a public statement warning that if Iran 'violently kills peaceful protesters,' the U.S. will 'come to their rescue' and is 'locked and loaded and ready to go.'
- Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded by denouncing Trump’s statement as 'reckless and dangerous.'
- PBS piece specifies that protests, initially sparked by the collapse of the Iranian rial and inflation, have spread from Tehran’s Grand Bazaar to nearly 17 provinces in six days.
- Article cites at least 44 people arrested and at least eight killed so far, including a 15‑year‑old child, and names Kurdish activist Mahsa Zarei among those detained.
- Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said he has tasked his interior minister to hear protesters’ 'legitimate demands' through dialogue.
January 01, 2026
10:50 PM
Deaths reported during widening protests in Iran sparked by ailing economy
New information:
- Confirms at least six deaths tied to the protests: three killed in Azna, two in Lordegan and one Basij volunteer reportedly killed Wednesday night.
- Details that protests, initially strongest in Tehran, have slowed in the capital but expanded into rural provinces heavily populated by the Lur ethnic group.
- Describes specific scenes in Azna, including street fires, echoing gunfire and protesters chanting “Shameless! Shameless!”
- Reports that Fars news agency acknowledged three deaths in Azna while state‑run media largely downplayed or omitted coverage of the violence.
- Quotes the Abdorrahman Boroumand Center as identifying the two dead in Lordegan as demonstrators and shows an image of an armored police officer wielding a shotgun.
- Notes that a 21‑year‑old Basij volunteer with the Revolutionary Guard was killed during a separate demonstration, with a Basij‑linked outlet directly blaming protesters.
7:00 PM
At least 6 reported killed during Iran protests over struggling economy
New information:
- Authorities now report at least six people killed over Wednesday and Thursday — one Basij volunteer on Wednesday and five people on Thursday — in protests linked to Iran’s ailing economy.
- The most intense violence is reported in Azna, Lorestan province, where Fars News says three people were killed amid street fires and gunfire, while Lordegan in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province saw at least two deaths.
- A deputy governor in Lorestan, Saeed Pourali, is quoted acknowledging protests over economic pressures, inflation and currency fluctuations and saying 13 Basij members and police officers were injured.
- The article notes that these demonstrations are the biggest since the 2022 Mahsa Amini protests but are not yet as intense or fully nationwide, and that security‑force journalist crackdowns may be constraining domestic coverage.
- It adds explicit U.S. reaction: U.N. Ambassador Mike Waltz posted on X that the U.S. 'stands with Iranians' protesting a 'radical regime' that has brought 'economic downturn and war.'
5:32 PM
Iran protests turn deadly as anti-regime demonstrations enter fifth day
New information:
- Protests have continued into a fifth consecutive day with demonstrations and clashes across Tehran and provincial cities including Marvdasht, Kermanshah, Delfan, Arak and Lordegan.
- In Lordegan, Fars News Agency reports crowds attacking multiple government sites (governor’s office, judiciary, Martyrs Foundation, Friday prayer complex and several banks), with police using tear gas and the agency saying two people were killed in the clashes.
- Hengaw and Iran International report that individuals killed in Lordegan and a 37‑year‑old man shot dead in Fooladshahr were protesters killed by security forces, though this is disputed by authorities; police in Isfahan province confirmed the death of a 37‑year‑old citizen without details.
- Authorities in Kuhdasht say a Basij member was killed and 13 people wounded in clashes, while Hengaw tells Reuters the victim was actually a protester killed by security forces.
- HRANA reports that six women detained during Tehran protests have been transferred to the women’s ward of Evin prison.
- The article details that protests began with bazaar/shopkeeper demonstrations over soaring inflation, unemployment and currency depreciation before spreading to students and broader public protests.
- President Trump this week publicly voiced support for the demonstrators, citing Iran’s economic collapse and public discontent while not explicitly calling for regime change, and NCRI’s Maryam Rajavi issued a statement describing the unrest as a ‘four‑day uprising’ and predicting the regime’s overthrow.
1:28 AM
Iran in shutdown as protesters storm governor's office, crowds chant 'Death to Khamenei'
New information:
- Reports that Iran imposed a one-day government-ordered shutdown that closed businesses, universities and government offices across 21 of 31 provinces, including Tehran, to contain protests.
- Video and opposition accounts describe protesters in the city of Fasa storming the governor’s office; opposition groups say IRGC forces opened fire, as relayed via Reuters.
- Details of new leadership moves amid the unrest: President Masoud Pezeshkian appointed former economy minister Abdolnaser Hemmati as central bank chief after Mohammad Reza Farzin’s resignation, while Ayatollah Ali Khamenei named IRGC Brig. Gen. Ahmad Vahidi deputy commander-in-chief of the Revolutionary Guards.
- Specific protest locations and slogans: clashes in Shiraz, Isfahan, Kermanshah and Tehran, with crowds chanting 'Death to Khamenei,' 'Death to the Dictator' and slogans directed at security forces and calling on 'Arakis' to support protests.
- Accounts that military helicopters were flying over Fasa to intimidate residents and deter spread of protests, and that bazaar-led demonstrations in Tehran and Kermanshah included merchants confronting security forces.
December 31, 2025
12:30 PM
Why flu cases are surging this season. And, protests erupt in Iran over the economy
New information:
- NPR characterizes the current demonstrations as "Iran's largest protests in years" as thousands take to the streets over economic conditions.
- It underscores that inflation has "skyrocketed" and the national currency has hit a record low, intensifying public anger at sanctions on the government.
- Quoted economist Djavad Salehi‑Isfahani tells NPR the 12‑day war with Israel over the summer was economically costly and that many Iranians now believe Israel could start another conflict, adding to economic uncertainty and fueling unrest.
12:16 PM
Iran cracks down, detaining protesters after several day of unrest
New information:
- Iran’s Prosecutor General Mohammad Movahedi-Azad publicly called the economic protests 'peaceful livelihood protests' but warned that any move to create 'insecurity' or destruction of property would be met with a 'legal, proportionate and decisive response.'
- The Mossad’s Persian-language X account posted that it was 'with you on the ground' and urged Iranians to 'go out into the streets together,' explicitly signaling encouragement to protesters.
- The U.S. State Department’s Farsi-language X account posted that it was 'deeply concerned' by intimidation, violence and arrests of peaceful protesters, stating that 'demanding basic rights is not a crime' and that Iran must end repression, and followed with another post highlighting that 'first the bazaars, then the students, now the whole country' are united.
- Authorities in Iran have increased security on the streets and declared a last‑minute holiday to close schools and businesses, described as part of the government’s efforts to clamp down on the unrest.
- The article links the protests to worsening economic conditions, including hyperinflation and a plunge in the rial, which has lost more than a third of its value against the U.S. dollar since last year, and notes that protests began in Tehran’s largest mobile phone market before spreading to at least 10 universities.
December 30, 2025