Protests erupted across Iran over soaring inflation, rising prices and a collapsing currency.
At least seven people were killed as clashes broke out between protesters and security forces.
The protest started as an economic anger but quickly turned into broader political dissent.
Iran saw widespread protests beginning on Sunday, 28 December 2025, over a stagnant economy, soaring inflation and a collapsing national currency. The situation escalated into clashes between demonstrators and security forces across several cities, resulting in the deaths of at least seven people. Merchants, shopkeepers and students took to the streets, triggered by growing anger over the government’s handling of a sharp fall in the rial - currency of Iran and rising prices of essential goods.
The demonstrations have spread across multiple provinces, including the capital of Tehran and the clerical city of Qom, leading to the shutdown of major bazaars and markets both. Economic hardship has been particularly evident in rural provinces, intensifying unrest there. State-affiliated news agency Tasnim reported the arrest of 30 people accused of disturbing public order in western Tehran. The agency reported, “After a coordinated operation by the security and intelligence services, 30 people accused of disturbing public order in the Malard district of western Tehran were identified and arrested.”
The protests were initially driven by economic grievances but later took on a political tone. Protesters were heard chanting slogans such as “Mullahs must leave Iran” and “Until the mullah is shrouded, this homeland will not be free” in videos circulating on social media, reflecting growing public anger toward Iran’s theocratic system.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards reported that one member of the Basij volunteer paramilitary force was killed and 13 others were injured in the city of Kuhdasht. Some of the “opportunistic elements” took advantage of the protests to incite violence as per the guards. The Basij is affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps and is loyal to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Security forces subsequently opened fire in several cities, including Nurabad in Lorestan province and Hamadan in western Iran.
The unrest marks one of the most significant episodes of protest in the country in three years. The last major upheaval occurred in 2022, when the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody triggered nationwide demonstrations. Amini had been detained for allegedly violating Iran’s hijab rules. While serious, the current protests have not yet reached the scale or intensity of those demonstrations.
Reports have also suggested the chanting of pro-monarchy slogans in several cities, widening the scope of dissent beyond economic demands. Iran’s exiled former crown prince Reza Pahlavi praised the protesters, calling those killed “true heroes of this land,” and urged Iranians to remain united in their demand for change.
Economically, Iran’s situation remains dire. The national currency has lost more than a third of its value against the US dollar over the past year, while years of double-digit inflation have severely eroded purchasing power. Currently, one US dollar is worth around 1.4 million rials on the open market.
The protests have also drawn international attention. US President Donald Trump warned Tehran against using lethal force, saying in a Truth Social post that the United States would come to the “rescue” of peaceful protesters if they were “violently killed.”
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