Trump Holds Back Iran Strike After Netanyahu Request as Envoys Sketch Possible Nuclear and Missile Deal
President Trump held off on ordering strikes against Iran after phone consultations with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who asked for a delay so Israel could better prepare and because U.S. options were seen as too limited, while the White House and advisers warned a strike might not topple the regime and regional allies urged restraint. At the same time U.S. envoys and Israeli officials sketched possible diplomatic terms â curbs on uranium enrichment, removal of roughly 2,000 kg of enriched uranium, reductions in Iranâs ballisticâmissile inventory and an end to support for regional proxies â even as Gulf states privately lobbied Washington against escalation.
đ Key Facts
- President Trump delayed/held off a planned U.S. strike on Iran after consultations with aides and allies and at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahuâs request; U.S. officials say the decision is being weighed by a small inner circle while monitoring how Tehran handles ongoing unrest.
- U.S. envoys and Israeli interlocutors have sketched possible diplomatic conditions that could be sought from Tehran â including limits on uranium enrichment, removal of roughly 2,000 kilograms of enriched uranium, reductions to Iranâs ballisticâmissile inventory and an end to support for regional proxies â while Israel dispatched Mossad chief David Barnea to consult with U.S. officials and Russia offered to mediate.
- The Trump administration publicly threatened force if Iran violently represses protesters, with the president saying the U.S. could strike 'very, very hard' without deploying ground troops; White House messaging also asserted, without presenting public evidence, that planned mass executions were postponed and aimed to maximize strategic uncertainty.
- U.S. military forces were repositioned and some troops evacuated from Middle East bases as reinforcements (including a carrier strike group) were sent toward the region, even as U.S. advisers warned a largeâscale strike might not topple Tehran and could trigger wider regional conflict.
- Mass protests over Iranâs deteriorating economy â steep inflation, a collapsing rial and subsidy cuts that began with bazaars and shopkeepers â spread into scores of cities and provinces; authorities imposed a nearâtotal internet and communications blackout, large numbers of arrests (in the thousands) and have used lethal force, while casualty estimates vary widely across sources from dozens to much higher activist tallies.
- Iranâs leadership has responded with harsh rhetoric and legal threats: supreme and security officials blamed foreign enemies, the judiciary and attorney general have labeled some protesters 'enemies of God' and pledged maximum punishments, state media and security outlets have portrayed some demonstrators as 'terrorists,' and there are reports of security forces opening fire and at least some executions being carried out.
- Regional diplomacy intensified: Gulf states (private appeals from Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar and others) urged Washington to refrain from striking Iran because of risks to oil markets and regional stability, and Arab diplomats and mediators (including Oman) engaged both Washington and Tehran to try to deâescalate the crisis.
- Reporting shows an environment of contested claims and opaque information: U.S. and White House assertions about execution plans and their postponement have not been independently verified, activists and rights groups report much higher death and arrest tolls than official counts, and state media and opposition outlets present sharply different narratives of events on the ground.
đ Analysis & Commentary (4)
Why the Iranian Regime Endures
"A measured deepâdive arguing that Iranâs 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."
Hereâs Why the Iranian Regime Seems Invincible
"The author argues that Iranâs 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 oppositionâs 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 nonâkinetic support to protect civilians and preserve space for domestic change."
When Ambiguity is No Longer Strategic
"The piece argues that the administrationâs habit of issuing ambiguous threats and then pausing â useful in limited contexts â is now backfiring (particularly around Iran and related crises), undermining allied trust, legal and operational clarity, and longâterm U.S. credibility."
đŹ 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
đĄ 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
đĄ 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
đĄ 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
đ° Source Timeline (27)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
January 20, 2026
6:51 PM
Russia's Lavrov says 'we are watching' as NATO faces crisis over Trump and Greenland
New information:
- Lavrov publicly praises Trumpâs Ukraine peace initiative as uniquely recognizing Russiaâs security interests and addressing 'root causes' of the crisis, contrasting it with European proposals he says ignore Russian speakers and the Moscowâaffiliated Orthodox Church.
- He recounts that Putin accepted an initial Trump proposal at their Alaska summit that included protections for Russian speakers and the Moscowâlinked Ukrainian church, but claims Kyiv and European allies later stripped those protections from the planâs latest version, which Moscow rejects.
January 16, 2026
5:14 PM
Scoop: Trump and Netanyahu discussed Iran in second phone call
New information:
- Trump and Netanyahu have now spoken twice in two days about Iran, including a second call Thursday evening.
- In the first call on Wednesday, Netanyahu explicitly asked Trump to delay military action to give Israel more time to prepare for possible Iranian retaliation, and this was one of the reasons Trump held off ordering a strike.
- Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone Thursday with both Netanyahu and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and offered to mediate to deâescalate the crisis, according to the Kremlin.
- Netanyahu has dispatched Mossad chief David Barnea to the U.S. for Iran consultations, with Barnea expected to meet White House envoy Steve Witkoff in Miami on Friday.
- At an IsraeliâAmerican Council conference in Miami, Witkoff said he hopes for a diplomatic solution with Iran and laid out four U.S. conditions: addressing uranium enrichment, reducing Iranâs ballisticâmissile inventory, removing roughly 2,000 kilograms of enriched uranium from Iran, and ending support for regional proxies.
6:14 AM
Top Iranian general threatens to 'cut off' Trump's hand over potential military strikes
New information:
- IRGC senior general Mohsen Rezaei publicly warned that if the U.S. attacks, Iran will 'cut off' Trumpâs hand and finger and that 'none of your bases in the region will be safe.'
- Rezaei said Iran would abandon any discussion of a ceasefire if attacked and accused Washington of ignoring Iranâs 'restraint and strategic patience.'
- U.S. military sources say at least one U.S. aircraft carrier is being repositioned toward the Middle East, though officials have not disclosed whether it is the USS Abraham Lincoln or one of two carriers that just left Norfolk and San Diego; transit is expected to take at least a week with additional air, land and sea assets to follow.
- The piece reiterates that protests inside Iran have reached their 19th day, with HRANA citing at least 2,677 arrests and 1,693 further cases under investigation, alongside expanded communication blackouts including landline shutdowns in some areas.
2:25 AM
Latin America rebel groups urged to form 'super guerrilla' alliance against Trump
New information:
- The article underscores how U.S. use of force and regimeâchange tactics in one theater (Venezuela) are now being cited by Latin American insurgents as justification to prepare for confrontation with Washington in another.
- Security analyst Jorge Mantilla tells The Telegraph that Mordiscoâs outreach to longtime ELN rivals is remarkable given the history of bloody conflict between those factions, suggesting U.S. intervention fears are a unifying driver.
January 15, 2026
9:41 PM
Middle East allies in blitz of diplomacy urged Trump to hold off on Iran strikes, diplomat says
New information:
- An Arab diplomat says senior officials from Egypt, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Qatar have, in the last 48 hours, urged the Trump administration to hold off on strikes against Iran, warning of global economic shock and regional destabilization.
- Those same Arab governments have also privately pressed Iran to halt its violent repression and warned Tehran that any retaliatory attacks on U.S. or regional targets would have serious consequences for Iran.
- Oil prices fell on Thursday as markets interpreted President Trumpâs softer public tone as a sign he may be leaning away from immediate strikes.
- White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt reiterated that 'all options remain on the table' but stressed that only Trump and a very small circle know his intentions, saying he is closely monitoring events in Iran.
- The report cites activistsâ claims that at least 2,637 protesters have been killed since Iran imposed a nearâtotal internet blackout and intensified its crackdown a week earlier.
- Trump publicly highlighted a Fox News headline about the suspension of a death sentence for Iranian shopkeeper Erfan Soltani and the White House asserted Iran had halted 800 scheduled executions, while Iranian state media denied Soltani had been condemned to death.
- The story documents Trumpâs rhetorical whiplash: within roughly a day he shifted from promising Iranians that 'help is on its way' and urging them to 'take over' institutions to declaring he had 'very important sources on the other side' saying Iran had stopped killing protesters.
7:19 PM
Trump Was Told Attack on Iran Wouldnât Guarantee Collapse of Regime
New information:
- U.S. officials say President Trump has been explicitly advised that a large-scale strike on Iran is unlikely, by itself, to make the regime fall and could trigger a broader regional conflict.
- Advisers told Trump that the U.S. would need substantially more military firepower in the Middle East both to carry out any large-scale attack and to protect American forces and allies like Israel from retaliation.
- For now, Trump is described as holding off while the administration monitors how Tehran handles ongoing protests before deciding on the scope of any potential attack.
- White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt claimed the U.S. learned Iran planned to execute 800 people on a specific Wednesday â something that did not occur â without explaining the intelligence basis for that claim.
7:02 PM
Trump delays Iran strikes as aides and Israel raise concerns
New information:
- Trump has delayed a decision on striking Iran and is consulting internally and with allies on timing and whether planned strikes would meaningfully destabilize the regime.
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with Trump on Wednesday and asked him to wait, both to give Israel more time to prepare for possible Iranian retaliation and because Israel views the current U.S. target set as too weak to destabilize the regime.
- U.S. forces are both evacuating some troops from Middle East bases and sending reinforcements, including the USS Abraham Lincoln strike group, while Iran temporarily shut its airspace for several hours fearing a U.S. attack.
- Trump has publicly claimed on social media that 'HELP IS ON ITS WAY' and that U.S. pressure has halted planned executions, while White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt asserted 800 planned executions were postponedâclaims Iranâs foreign minister disputes, saying there are no plans for 'hanging' protesters.
- U.S. officials admit much of the current public messaging is intended to maximize uncertainty for Tehran, with decisions confined to a very small inner circle, and stress that it is 'too soon' to say the administration has shifted to deâescalation.
1:26 PM
Iran opposition leader says "haven't reached the moment" to topple regime
New information:
- PDKI leader Mustafa Hijri, speaking from northern Iraq on Jan. 15, 2026, says his Kurdish Iranian opposition group wants U.S. airstrikes on Iranian 'centers of suppressing forces' and regime 'justice' institutions to help protesters.
- Hijri and field commander Sayran Gargoli say thousands of PDKI fighters are trained and poised but have deliberately held back from crossing into Iran because they believe premature armed action would give the regime an excuse to massacre demonstrators.
- Hijri states that 'we havenât reached the moment' to send peshmerga back into Iran and outlines scenarios under which the current uprising could either be crushed or prolonged by U.S. negotiations with Tehran.
- CBS sources inside Iran tell the network that the crackdown may have killed upwards of 12,000 people, and possibly many more, during roughly two weeks of protestsâfar higher than most public tallies.
- The piece notes Trump now says, based on 'good authority,' that the killing is 'stopping' and there is 'no plan for executions,' signaling an apparent step back from earlier threats of 'very strong actions' if Iran executed protesters.
January 13, 2026
6:56 PM
Iranâs 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 Iranâs 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 Qalibafâs 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 Muskâs Starlink satellite service.
- Analyst Raz Zimmt of Israelâs 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 AlâBusaidi 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 deathâpenalty 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 proâgovernment demonstrations while claiming 'peace' in most cities, contrasted by APâverified video of large antiâgovernment 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 Trumpâs 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 protestsâ 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.
- Iranâs judiciary chief has vowed 'maximum' punishment and the attorney general has labeled all protesters 'enemies of God,' a deathâpenalty charge under Iranian law.
- Iranian authorities have imposed a nearâtotal 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 Israelâs 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 governmentâs 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 familyâs 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 householdsâ 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 Iranâs 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 Trumpâs 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 Trumpâs stance as more credible than the Obama and Biden administrationsâ 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 Iranâs 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 Iranâs rial has fallen to roughly 1.4 million to $1 after UN sanctions were reimposed in September over its nuclear program.
- Reports Iranâs 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 antiâgovernment slogans.
- Notes the June 12âday 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 Iranâs 'Axis of Resistance' has been badly weakened, with Hamas crushed in Gaza and Hezbollahâs senior leadership heavily degraded.
January 03, 2026
10:04 PM
Iranâs Khamenei lashes out at protesters as nationwide anti-regime unrest grows
New information:
- Details that Khameneiâs remarks came in his first public speech since strikes and unrest began seven days earlier, including his characterization of protesters as âenemy mercenariesâ 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 Kazerunâs Shohada Square and road blockades with burning tires in Shirazâs Golshan district.
- Specific protest slogans from university students, including âStudents will die but not accept humiliationâ at Shahrood University of Technology and âDeath to the dictatorâ at Allameh Universityâs Hemmat dormitory in Tehran.
- Expanded opposition reaction, with extended quotes from NCRI leader Maryam Rajavi calling for the end of Khameneiâs rule and asserting that â80 million Iranians are his enemy,â and from Reza Pahlavi comparing Khamenei to the mythic despot Zahhak.
- Citation of HRANAâs estimate that demonstrations have occurred in more than 100 locations across 22 of Iranâs 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 Iranâs 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 Iranâs 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 regimeâs security apparatus is likely capable of suppressing the unrest without losing control.
- The piece links Trumpâs intervention threat to Iranian officialsâ vows that U.S. troops in the region could be targeted, and notes the comments gain added weight after Trumpâs announcement that U.S. forces captured Venezuelaâs NicolĂĄs 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 Trumpâs statement as 'reckless and dangerous.'
- PBS piece specifies that protests, initially sparked by the collapse of the Iranian rial and inflation, have spread from Tehranâs 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 15âyearâold child, and names Kurdish activist Mahsa Zarei among those detained.
- Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said he has tasked his interior minister to hear protestersâ '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 âShameless! Shameless!â
- Reports that Fars news agency acknowledged three deaths in Azna while stateârun 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 21âyearâold Basij volunteer with the Revolutionary Guard was killed during a separate demonstration, with a Basijâlinked 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 â one Basij volunteer on Wednesday and five people on Thursday â in protests linked to Iranâs 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 securityâforce 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 (governorâs 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 37âyearâold 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 37âyearâold 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 womenâs 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 Iranâs economic collapse and public discontent while not explicitly calling for regime change, and NCRIâs Maryam Rajavi issued a statement describing the unrest as a âfourâday uprisingâ and predicting the regimeâs 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 governorâs 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 Farzinâs 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 SalehiâIsfahani tells NPR the 12âday 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:
- Iranâs 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 Mossadâs 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 Departmentâs 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 lastâminute holiday to close schools and businesses, described as part of the governmentâs 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 Tehranâs largest mobile phone market before spreading to at least 10 universities.
December 30, 2025