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Updated 9 January 2026 - Nationwide demonstrations continue as internet blackout deepens and death toll rises.
Mass protests sweep across Iran
Thousands of Iranians marched through Tehran, Mashhad, and other major cities on Thursday evening in what rights groups describe as the largest display of opposition to the clerical leadership in years. Footage verified by BBC Persian showed peaceful crowds moving along main roads, undeterred by security forces.
Protesters chanted slogans demanding the removal of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the return of Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran's last monarch. Videos captured demonstrators in Mashhad removing surveillance cameras from an overpass, while in Tehran, crowds shouted, "This is the final battle! Pahlavi will return." Similar scenes unfolded in Isfahan, Babol, Tabriz, and Dezful, where security personnel were seen firing into a crowd.
Unrest spreads to over 100 cities
The demonstrations, now in their 12th consecutive day, began over economic grievances but have evolved into a broader challenge to the regime. Human rights organizations report protests in all 31 of Iran's provinces, with at least 45 deaths-including eight children-confirmed by the Norway-based monitor Iran Human Rights (IHR). The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) puts the toll at 34 protesters and eight security personnel killed.
BBC Persian has independently verified the identities of 22 deceased protesters. Iranian authorities acknowledge six security personnel deaths, including two officers shot in Lordegan and one stabbed in Malard.
Internet blackout and state denial
Internet watchdog NetBlocks reported a nationwide blackout on Thursday, following earlier disruptions in protest hotspots. "The incident hinders public communication at a critical moment," the group warned, linking the outage to escalating censorship.
State media downplayed the scale of the unrest, with some outlets posting videos of empty streets to contradict protest footage. Meanwhile, exiled Kurdish groups called for a general strike in western provinces, where at least 17 protesters-many from Kurdish or Lor ethnic minorities-have been killed since the crackdown intensified.
Political reactions and economic crisis
Reza Pahlavi, who lives in Washington DC, urged supporters to continue protests on Friday, calling Thursday's turnout a "united front" for freedom. In a post on X, he thanked US President Donald Trump for holding the regime "to account" and called on European leaders to follow suit.
Trump reiterated his threat of military intervention if protesters were killed, telling the Hugh Hewitt Show, "If they start killing people, we are going to hit them very hard." US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent described Iran's economy as "on the ropes," warning of further instability.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian urged security forces to exercise "utmost restraint" in handling protests, while Khamenei authorized dialogue with demonstrators but vowed to "put rioters in their place."
Roots of the uprising
The protests erupted on 28 December after the rial hit record lows against the US dollar, fueling 40% inflation. Economic sanctions, government mismanagement, and corruption have exacerbated public despair. A Tehran resident told the BBC, "We're living in limbo-no wings to migrate, no hope to pursue goals here." Another protester in Ilam said, "Our dreams have been stolen. We still have a voice."
These demonstrations mark the most widespread unrest since the 2022 uprising over Mahsa Amini's death, which left over 550 dead and 20,000 detained. The 2009 post-election protests remain the largest since the 1979 revolution, with dozens killed and thousands arrested.
