Iranians took to the streets on December 28, 2025, amid a free fall in the value of the rial, Iranās currency. It was the latest in a series of protest movements in recent decades to oppose austerity measures, corruption, and repression that have contributed to a spiraling decline in Iraniansā standard of living and quality of life. Demonstrations spread rapidly across the country and were the closest in years to matching the scale of the 2022 protests, which took place after the death of Jina Mahsa Amini. Notably, the 2026 protests took place against the tense backdrop of a prospective resumption of conflict with Israel and the threat of intervention by the United States. However, in January the protests were brutally suppressed, marking the deadliest instance of repression since the Islamic Republic took power in 1979.
For more information, see The 2026 Iranian Protests.