Ask Onix
Updated 12 February 2026 - Reporting from Tehran
Celebrations overshadowed by dissent
Tehran's skies erupted in fireworks and chants of "God is greatest" on Tuesday night as Iran commemorated the 47th anniversary of its Islamic Revolution. Yet beneath the spectacle, scattered shouts of "death to the dictator" pierced the darkness, echoing last month's nationwide protests that authorities suppressed with lethal force.
International journalists, including a The Meta Times correspondent, returned to Iran this week as authorities gradually eased a near-total internet blackout-one of the longest in history-and permitted limited foreign media access.
Contrasting moods in the capital
Tehran's streets, adorned with flags and banners for the "ten days of dawn" marking the 1979 revolution, presented a stark contrast to the unrest that erupted in December. Soaring prices and calls to end clerical rule fueled protests, which authorities labeled as foreign-instigated riots.
Last June's 12-day conflict with Israel, followed by U.S. strikes on Iran's nuclear sites, had left many citizens shaken but united in national solidarity. This year, economic hardship and political discontent dominate public sentiment.
Government rallies and reformist appeals
On Wednesday, state-organized marches filled Tehran's Azadi Square, where President Masoud Pezeshkian addressed a massive crowd. The self-described reformist blamed "malicious propaganda" by Iran's enemies-code for the U.S. and Israel-for fueling unrest but acknowledged government failures.
"We are ready to listen to the voice of the people,"
President Masoud Pezeshkian
Pezeshkian pledged efforts to address the currency collapse and cost-of-living crisis that sparked a December shopkeepers' strike. However, ultimate authority rests with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has vowed no leniency for protesters branded as "terrorists."
Public anger and economic despair
In Enghelab Square, murals of the revolution's triumphant crowds belied the somber mood. Many Iranians, fearing reprisals, refused to speak to journalists. Others voiced raw grief and frustration.
Raha, 32, broke down in tears: "I haven't eaten or slept properly in a month. Why should I be so depressed at my age?" She rejected official claims that protesters were armed rioters, demanding, "What was their sin?"
Dori, a 20-year-old woman no longer wearing the mandatory headscarf, described the trauma of seeing videos of violent crackdowns after internet restrictions lifted. "Last month was terrible," she said.
Akhtar, 62, highlighted two crises: "So many young people were killed. And cooking oil now costs four times more-meat and chicken too. Unemployment is unbearable."
Sanctions, corruption, and existential challenges
Young Iranians like Amir, 20, pleaded for "basic needs and freedoms." Yet economic relief is hampered by decades of sanctions, nuclear tensions, and domestic corruption. Analysts warn the Islamic Republic faces its gravest test since 1979.
As celebrations concluded, the government's narrative clashed with public despair. A young woman in a black veil at Wednesday's rally defended the revolution but conceded economic protests were "legitimate"-while blaming chaos on foreign interference.
