It’s Iran, yet again! Deadly clashes between anti-Khamenei protesters and the Security Forces are ongoing in various parts of the Islamic Republic, as demonstrations sparked by severe economic hardship and a collapsing currency have intensified in recent times. The unrest has spread to over 220 locations across 26 provinces, with dozens reported killed and nearly 1,000 detained. In fact, the unrest is driven by a complex mix of deep-rooted economic hardship, political repression and social grievances, which have converged to fuel widespread anti-government sentiment.

It is quite clear that Iran is going through a phase of profound change. Prior to this unrest, the videos and images of celebrations circulated on social media made it seem as if it were a country in Europe. Thousands of young men and women, hair uncovered and dressed in jeans and short-sleeve tops, were seen dancing and singing at pop concerts. Such scenes are common in Berlin, Paris, London or New York. However, those pictures were from Tehran.

Iran is known for its legal system that is explicitly based on Islamic Law (Sharia). Sharia has been strictly enforced by the state apparatus since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. All laws and regulations, including civil, criminal and family law, must be consistent with the official interpretation of Sharia. The concerned authorities in Iran imposed a ban on free interaction between men and women in public spaces in 1979. Recently, countless people were seen enjoying the annual Tehran Design Week, which featured various exhibitions and installations across the capital city. Exhibitions included large-scale art pieces, light shows and live music as the event took place in multiple locations, incorporating both traditional and contemporary venues. The open-air aspects, with massive and colourful installations and musical performances, were a key part of the festival’s appeal.

All these have shocked the global community as the outside world could not imagine that Iranian girls would go out bareheaded. However, girls have shown the courage to defy the mandatory hijab rule, a law since 1979, in recent times, with many going out bareheaded as a form of protest, demonstrating a growing defiance and challenging the government’s ability to enforce strict dress codes, despite risks of arrest, fines or harsher penalties. It certainly reflects a significant shift in Iranian society.

According to political analysts, some noticeable changes have been observed since Iran’s brief conflict with Israel and the US in June 2025. A number of girls have been roaming in public places without covering their heads in the past few months. Also, many cafés softly play Western music, with boys and girls enjoying food together. They can even be seen walking hand in hand. Such minor incidents have created cracks in the rigid social rules for which Iran is known to the world.

However, analysts believe that there is still darkness behind this apparent tolerance. In other words, this mere outward show of tolerance may mask underlying prejudice, bias or a lack of true acceptance. In actuality, the religious leaders have intensified the repression of political opponents in Iran. Hundreds of journalists, lawyers, students, authors and Human Rights activists have been harassed, summoned and detained in recent times.

The economic situation of the West Asian nation is quite critical mainly because of the long-standing imposition of various sanctions by the US and its Western allies. Iran is also facing an acute water crisis. The water supply system has collapsed in different parts of the country due to poor upkeep, stems from underinvestment, aging pipes and insufficient funds for parts. Alex Vatanka, the senior fellow and the Founding Director of the Iran Programme at the Middle East Institute in Washington DC, has stressed: “The contradiction is deliberate: a release valve for the public, coupled with a hard ceiling on genuine dissent.” He added: “Internally, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Hosseini Khamenei is experimenting with calibrated concessions to buy time.“

Currently, the religious leadership of Iran is facing a major challenge. It has not experienced such a difficult challenge since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Israeli attacks badly damaged the Iranian military, as well as nuclear, facilities in June 2025. Furthermore, the regional support bases of Iran in Gaza (the Palestinian Hamas Movement), Lebanon (Hezbollah) and Iraq (the military forces) have been diminished in the past couple of years. The Government of Iran fears that Israel will launch an attack again in the coming months. To avoid such a possibility, the Masoud Pezeshkian Administration wants to increase its engagement with the US. Maintaining cordial ties with President Donald John Trump may help Tehran to avoid another armed conflict with Israel. The US President may also lift sanctions against Tehran, reducing the economic pressure.

Experts have opined that Iran has eased the restrictions on women and the younger generation in order to gain US support. If it happens, then the geopolitical landscape of the Persian Gulf region will change dramatically.

Iranians Chant ‘Death To Khamenei’ Slogan
President Trump has not only ruled out the possibility of military action against the Islamic Republic, but also made it clear that if Tehran continues to violate Human Rights, the consequences would be severe, stressing: “We will hit them at levels they have never been hit before.” Speaking at a press conference, the US President said that Iran appeared to be approaching the red line he had set over the treatment of protesters, stating: “They are starting to, it looks like.” When asked whether he thinks that Tehran takes his threats seriously, a visibly agitated Trump responded: “Would not you say that they probably do at this point, after going through it for years with me? Soleimani, al-Baghdadi, the Iran nuclear threat wiped out… What a stupid question.“

Meanwhile, the Government of Iran has directly referred to the protesters as terrorists. A couple of days ago, the Administration of President Masoud Pezeshkian announced that the concerned authorities would listen to the grievances of the common people. However, the Government started threatening people on January 12, 2026, asking them to “stay away from protesters and militants“.

Although the Iranian Government has shut down internet services, several images and videos have surfaced thanks to Elon Musk‘s Starlink satellite internet services. A video shows a crowd overflowing in front of the Kahrizak Forensic Diagnostic and Laboratory Centre near Tehran to identify the bodies of their loved ones, who are believed to be among the hundreds killed in the demonstrations that started in early January 2026. Also, at least 50 body-bags have been seen in a satellite image. A video footage of a funeral shows near and dear ones chanting Death to Khamenei! slogan while carrying a body.

As expected, the Iranian Government has claimed that the protesters are the ones spreading violence. The Foreign Ministry of the West Asian nation summoned the ambassadors of Britain, Germany, Italy and France on January 12 to show them how the rioters were spreading violence. It may be noted that these four European countries have publicly supported the thousands of Iranians who have been holding daily protests for weeks despite a violent crackdown by authorities. Tehran also informed the ambassadors of Britain, Germany, Italy and France that the protesters were not demonstrating peacefully at all as they were actually hired thugs of Israel and the US.

Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, the Speaker of Majles (the Iranian Parliament or the Islamic Consultative Assembly of Iran), has warned the US and its regional allies that any American military aggression or interference in internal affairs of his country would make US military bases, facilities and vessels (and also Israel) “legitimate targets” for Iranian retaliation.

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Published by Koushik Das

Koushik Das (born on May 16, 1976 in Kolkata) is a career journalist. Based in the Indian capital of New Delhi, Koushik writes mainly about foreign policies and current geopolitical issues, and rarely about other topics. His own political ideas are highly influenced by Antonio Gramsci, Louis Althusser, Michel Foucault, Michael Oakeshott and others. English philosopher and political theorist Oakeshott (Dec 11, 1901-Dec 19, 1990) says that “in political activity, men sail a boundless and bottomless sea. There is neither harbour for shelter nor floor for anchorage, neither starting-place, nor appointed destination. But we have to keep afloat”. (Rationalism in Politics, 1962) As a student of Political Science, Koushik loves to share his views on issues, which have great impacts on his thought process (and also on India, South Asia and of course on the global community), with his readers through his website – Boundless Ocean of Politics. By doing so, he tries to keep himself afloat. You will find some of his articles in https://inserbia.info/today/ (https://inserbia.info/today/author/kou_das13_i/), as he has been trying to assess the global geopolitics since 2003. You can also mail him at kousdas@gmail.com View all posts by Koushik Das