Iran protests spread to 200 cities as Khamenei labels demonstrators vandals

Thursday 15 January 2026 - 17:50

By: Dakir Madiha

Iran protests spread to 200 cities as Khamenei labels demonstrators vandals

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei confronts what analysts call the gravest threat to his rule since 1989, as economic protests ignited on December 28, 2025, evolve into a nationwide uprising demanding the end of the Islamic Republic. Sparked by bazaar merchants in Tehran closing shops over the rial's collapse, the unrest has engulfed nearly 200 cities across all 31 provinces. The Institute for the Study of War notes the regime views this as a proto-revolution requiring total, immediate suppression.

Unlike prior waves in 1999, 2009, 2019, and 2022, this movement unites diverse groups: bazaar traders once pillars of the 1979 Islamic Revolution joined by university students on day two, then oil workers and truck drivers. Analysts from GIS Reports highlight this convergence as deeply alarming for the regime. Protesters openly chant "Death to the dictator" targeting Khamenei, hail "Long live the Shah," and call for exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi's return. In Qaemiyeh, crowds toppled a statue of revered Revolutionary Guards commander Qassem Soleimani.

President Masoud Pezeshkian admitted governmental limits before the escalation, stating "I can do nothing" against economic woes, and called for dialogue despite lacking control over security forces. In a January 9 televised address, the 86-year-old Khamenei branded protesters "vandals" and "saboteurs" aiming to please the U.S. president, vowing the republic forged in the blood of hundreds of thousands will not yield. This toughens his earlier distinction between peaceful demonstrators and rioters, as the judiciary chief warned of decisive, maximum penalties without mercy.

The regime deploys massive forces, including IRGC ground units typically reserved for military ops, alongside Basij militia and police. A nationwide internet blackout from January 8 conceals the crackdown's scale. Security apparatus shows no fractures, unlike the 1979 revolution that ousted the Shah; Critical Threats reports no defections, though IRGC intelligence acknowledged potential abandonments.

Victim tolls remain disputed amid communication blackouts. U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency tallied over 2,586 protester deaths by January 14, while Iran Human Rights cited 3,428. State media acknowledged collective funerals for 300, including security personnel, with at least 114 forces killed exceeding prior unrest. As the regime balances brutal repression against threats of international intervention, including President Donald Trump's strike warnings, Khamenei's survival hinges on his security forces' willingness to keep firing on citizens.