Large crowds of protesters have taken to the streets of Tehran and cities across Iran in what activists and observers describe as the biggest show of force against the clerical establishment since the 2022-2023 Mahsa Amini protests.
The demonstrations, now in their second week as of January 8, 2026, began as economic grievances over currency collapse and inflation but have rapidly evolved into widespread calls for regime change, with chants of “Death to the dictator” and “Death to Khamenei” echoing nationwide.
Protests have spread to over 110 cities in at least 21 provinces, including Tehran, Isfahan, Mashhad, Shiraz, Qom, Ilam, and smaller towns. Security forces have responded with tear gas, live fire, and arrests, with rights groups reporting at least 25-36 deaths and thousands detained.
In Tehran, the Grand Bazaar symbolic heart of commerce has seen repeated strikes and clashes, while university students and working-class neighborhoods have joined in force.
This is a developing story amid heavy internet restrictions in affected areas.
By Ogungbayi Beedee Adeyemi
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