Protests across Iran have intensified in recent weeks as frustration over the country’s worsening economy spills into the streets, which was prompted a government crackdown that has drawn comparisons to the unrest surrounding Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Protests started in late December when Iran’s currency, the rial, fell to about 1.4 million against the U.S. dollar in the open market, significantly raising the prices of food and essential items. Initially beginning as demonstrations by merchants and working-class Iranians, the unrest rapidly extended to urban areas nationwide, transcending political, ethnic, and religious boundaries.
Security personnel reacted by implementing internet restrictions, interfering with phone services, and employing aggressive crowd control. Activists and human rights organizations report that live rounds were employed in certain instances, yet the complete extent of casualties is still uncertain because of limitations on foreign media and restricted access to information.
Iran’s authorities have portrayed the turmoil as a threat to national security. State media has aired footage from the early years of the Islamic Republic, invoking memories of the violent period following the 1979 revolution. Officials have referred to detained protestors as “mohareb,” or “enemies of God,” a charge that can carry the death penalty under Iranian law and was used during mass executions in the 1980s.
Those citations indicate significant worry within the administration. In 1979, compatible patterns of protest and grief contributed to the downfall of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, facilitating Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini’s ascent and the formation of Iran’s existing theocratic regime. Leaders today seem resolute in their efforts to avoid any resurgence of that momentum.
Initially, President Masoud Pezashkian, a reformist who was elected last year, suggested he could tackle public concerns. Officials modified a disputed currency subsidy program and declared minor cash assistance to families facing increased costs. But as demonstrations grew larger, the government shifted quickly toward repression, cutting off communication networks and deploying security forces nationwide.
Some analysts say the protests’ economic force makes them especially significant. Unlike earlier movements centered on revolutions or social freedoms, rising prices affect nearly everyone in Iran’s population of about 85 million. Inflation hovering around 40 percent, persistent power and fuel shortages, and a currency in free fall has eroded living standards across class and ideological lines. Compared to earlier protest waves driven primarily by election or social restrictions, the current demonstrations center on material survival.
That breadth may help explain the intensity of the crackdown. While the government has not released official casualty figures, senior officials have acknowledged significant losses. Human rights groups and activists say the death toll likely runs into the thousands, surpassing the violence seen during the 2009 Green Movement or the 2022-23 “Women, Life, Freedom” protests.
International tensions have further complicated the movement. Western governments have condemned the violence, while U.S. President Donald Trump has sent mixed signals, at times suggesting restraint and at others hinting at possible military actions. For many Iranians,the threat of foreign intervention evokes bitter memories of war, sanctions, and external pressure that have long shaped the country’s political landscape.
The current unrest differs in important ways from the circumstances surrounding Iran’s 1979 revolution. Iran today is far more internationally isolated, its economy is deeply constrained by sanctions, and its security apparatus is larger and more centralized than it was under the monarchy. At the same time, the scale of the recent protests and the severity of the state’s response mark a significant escalation compared with previous protest cycles.
Although protests have decreased after a national crackdown, the fundamental economic and political tensions persist. Inflation, devaluation of currency, and restricted avenues for political engagement persistently burden the everyday lives of many people in Iran. Historical instances of unrest indicate that when these issues remain unaddressed, moments of tranquility have proven to be short-lived. At present, the government has reasserted control, but whether that control translates into long-term stability remains uncertain.
Summary
The protests have gone quiet, but only because the state used extreme violence
Many Iranians see this as a continuation of a long struggle tied to memory and identity
The movement is no longer about reform but about reclaiming the country itself
Works Cited
Gambrell, Jon. “Analysis: Scale of Iran Protests Echoes Chaos around 1979 Revolution.” AP News, 15 Jan. 2026, apnews.com/article/iran-protests-1979-revolution-analysis-c06cfb0df138c78f00641324bf74ffe8. Accessed 25 Jan. 2026.
Iran’s Protests Are a Turning Point for the Islamic Republic. Jacobin, 2026, jacobin.com/2026/01/iran-protests-khamenei-trump-israel. Accessed 25 Jan. 2026.
“Iran’s Revolution - Tablet Magazine.” Tablet Magazine, 13 Jan. 2026, www.tabletmag.com/sections/israel-middle-east/articles/iran-revolution-trump-bhl. Accessed 25 Jan. 2026.
Maloney, Suzanne. “The New Iranian Revolution Has Begun.” Brookings, 12 Jan. 2026, www.brookings.edu/articles/the-new-iranian-revolution-has-begun/
. Accessed 25 Jan. 2026.
Shamim, Sarah. “What We Know about the Protests Sweeping Iran.” Al Jazeera, 12 Jan. 2026, www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/1/12/what-we-know-about-the-protests-sweeping-iran
. Accessed 25 Jan. 2026.