Protests that began over economic hardship have now spread across Iran. Activists say demonstrations are taking place in every province, showing that public anger is growing and not fading away.
Wednesday was the most intense day so far. Protests were reported in big cities and small towns, including rural areas. Even though daily life in Tehran and some other cities continued, unrest was visible nationwide.
At least 38 people have died in violence linked to the protests. More than 2,200 people have been detained so far, according to a US based human rights group.
Iranian authorities have not openly acknowledged how widespread the protests are. However, reports suggest members of the security forces have also been injured or killed. One police officer reportedly died after being stabbed near Tehran. In another incident, two security personnel were shot dead and many others were wounded in a southern province.
The growing protests are putting pressure on Iran’s civilian government and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. So far, the government has not shut down the internet or fully flooded the streets with security forces, unlike during the 2022 protests after Mahsa Amini’s death. But observers say that could change if unrest continues.
The protests do not appear to have a clear leader. This has been the case in many previous protest movements in Iran. Analysts say the lack of a recognised alternative leadership has weakened past uprisings, as many potential leaders have been arrested, exiled, or silenced by the state.
On Wednesday alone, activists reported at least 37 protests across the country. Videos online showed police using water cannons on demonstrators in some cities. State media briefly mentioned protests in a few areas but avoided discussing their full scale.
Demonstrations continued on Thursday as well. In Iran’s Kurdistan province, many shopkeepers closed their businesses in protest.
US President Donald Trump warned last week that the United States would step in if Iranian authorities violently kill peaceful protesters. His comments were strongly rejected by Iran’s Foreign Ministry, which accused the US of hypocrisy and long standing interference in Iran’s internal affairs.
Despite this, the US State Department has continued posting videos and messages online highlighting economic struggles in Iran. Some videos showed people throwing away government subsidised rice, symbolising anger over prices that ordinary citizens can no longer afford.
Meanwhile, Iran’s exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi has called on people to protest by chanting from rooftops and windows at night. He said future actions would depend on how many people respond. Whether Iranians follow his call may show how much support he truly has.
Some protesters have been heard chanting in support of the former shah, though it is unclear if this reflects support for Pahlavi or simply a longing for life before the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Nobel Peace Prize winner Narges Mohammadi remains in prison. Her son said the demands of protesters have stayed the same over the years. He said people want an end to the Islamic Republic and the rule of clerics.
Iran has seen repeated waves of protests in recent years. The current unrest follows a sharp economic collapse. In December, the Iranian rial fell to around 1.4 million to the dollar. Before the 1979 revolution, the rate was around 70 to the dollar.
This round of protests has not yet reached the scale of the mass demonstrations after Mahsa Amini’s death in 2022. But anger continues to build as economic pressure, political frustration, and public grief collide across the country.