Iran is again facing a powerful wave of unrest, and this time the anger is more intense, more emotional, and more dangerous. Nationwide protests have now stretched into a fifth straight day, spreading from Tehran to towns and provinces across the country. What began as economic frustration has turned into deadly clashes, with reports of shootings, arrests, injuries, and undeniable fear on the streets.
Government Forces Open Fire as Violence Escalates
Reports from rights groups, Iranian media, and opposition organizations describe scenes of serious confrontation between protesters and security forces. In Lordegan, clashes intensified around government buildings, banks, and public offices. Fars News Agency reported that protesters threw stones and damaged government facilities while police used tear gas and responded with force. Rights organizations say that at least two protesters were killed by direct fire from security forces there.
Similar uncertainty surrounds other reported deaths. In Kuhdasht, authorities claimed a Basij militia member died and several officers were injured. The Kurdish rights group Hengaw disputed this, stating the person killed had actually been protesting when he was shot by government forces. In Fooladshahr, a 37-year-old man was confirmed dead after being shot during overnight protests. Meanwhile, dozens have been arrested, including women transferred to Evin Prison.
Opposition voices say the government deliberately escalated violence. Maryam Rajavi of the National Council of Resistance of Iran declared that the unrest shows that “the Iranian people’s determination to be free from religious tyranny” is growing and insisted, “This wretched regime is doomed to be overthrown by the risen populace and rebellious youth.” She said protesters are those “with nothing left to lose” and that “the final word is spoken in the streets.”
Five Days of Anger Fueled by Economic Collapse
These protests began with shopkeepers and merchants who could no longer survive crushing inflation, unemployment, and a collapsing currency. The demonstrations then spread to students, young people, working citizens, and residents in smaller cities. They have grown into one of the largest outbreaks of unrest since the death of Mahsa Amini in 2022.
President Masoud Pezeshkian has acknowledged the severity of the crisis and the anger driving it. In a striking admission of responsibility, he said, “If we do not solve people’s problems, we will have a place in hell.” He also warned that the government must serve the public instead of blaming outsiders, saying, “Do not look for America or anyone else to blame. We must serve properly so that people are satisfied with us.” Yet at the same time, other officials continue to accuse unnamed “enemies,” often meaning the United States and Israel.
Protesters are in the streets because daily life has become nearly impossible. Iran is experiencing relentless inflation. The rial has collapsed, losing enormous value. The International Monetary Fund says prices are rising above 40 percent and are expected to stay high. Savings have disappeared. The middle class has been destroyed. The working poor cannot afford daily necessities.
A student summed up the frustration with bitter sarcasm. When asked why she protested, she replied, “Yeah, why should we protest? After all, we have it so good.” Protesters have also chanted political slogans including “Death to the dictator,” openly targeting Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Students at Tehran’s Beheshti University declared that the system “has taken our future hostage for 47 years” and warned it will not change through “false promises.”
Beyond money, people are also furious about shortages, environmental disasters, and loss of dignity. Iran is running out of water. Rivers are drying. Land is sinking. Pollution kills people every day. In Tehran, schools had to close because the air was too toxic. This collapsing quality of life fuels rage along with the desire for greater freedom and an end to authoritarian control.
Sanctions, Bombings, and International Pressure
Iran’s economy is not failing in isolation. Western sanctions have strangled it for years. Oil revenue has been cut. Access to global banking is restricted. Iran has also suffered after United States and Israeli bombings severely damaged its nuclear facilities during a 12-day war last year. Renewed United Nations sanctions deepened isolation and punished Iran’s financial system.
Inside Iran, some officials say the economy has been “held hostage by the nuclear issue for the last 20 years.” Even President Pezeshkian has admitted leaders cannot just blame outsiders, even while hard liners continue doing so. Meanwhile, American leaders are openly siding with protesters. U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz said, “The people of Iran want freedom. They have suffered at the hands of the Ayatollahs for too long. We stand with Iranians in the streets of Tehran and across the country.”
Iran’s exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi argued the government is near collapse. He wrote that the regime has reached “the end of the road” and claimed it is “weak, deeply divided, and unable to suppress the courage of a rising nation.” He predicted that “this year will be the definitive moment for change.”
A Nation at the Breaking Point
Iran is beginning 2026 with soaring inflation, unemployment, shortages of food and supplies, environmental disaster, sanctions, isolation, and political uncertainty. The rial continues to fall. Economic growth is almost nonexistent. Purchasing power keeps vanishing. Many ordinary families simply cannot survive.
At the same time, the supreme leader is aging and rumored to be in poor health. Rival political factions are positioning themselves for eventual succession. International allies such as Russia and China offer limited support, and even those alliances may weaken as global politics shift.
No one can predict the outcome. Some government leaders talk about dialogue. Others rely on force. Authorities have even shut down large parts of the country, claiming weather reasons, although many believe it was to stop protests. Activist groups warn that the regime is fragile. Dissidents believe the country is reaching a historic turning point.
As protests grow and violence increases, Iran stands at a dangerous crossroads. Its people are fighting for economic survival, dignity, political freedom, and hope for a better future. The government is struggling between repression and reform. The world is watching to see whether this is another wave of unrest that will fade, or the beginning of a transformation that could finally force change inside one of the Middle East’s most powerful yet deeply troubled nations.
ACZ Editor: For those of you who are bit older, Iran suffered a revolution against the Shah in 1979, and the Islamists took over then. Before the revolution, Iranians were a relatively rich and educated society, albeit with a great many problems as they rose due to oil wealth. If not for the revolution, they could well be as rich as Saudi Arabia right now.
Could a revolution provide a government that is less extremist? I’m thinking it will not be that easy, but I would love to see them try.
