Iran is once again witnessing widespread public demonstrations. What began in late December 2025 as protests over rising prices and a rapidly weakening currency has evolved into one of the most serious political challenges the Islamic Republic has faced since the “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement of 2022–23. By early January, demonstrations had spread to more than 100 cities across all 31 provinces. The slogans heard on the streets suggest that the unrest is no longer focused solely on bread, fuel, or inflation, but increasingly on questions of authority and governance.

The nationwide protest movement was sparked in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar, a historic center of Iran’s economic life and political expression. When traders closed their shops in protest against rising costs, it reflected more than immediate economic hardship. Within days, some demonstrations took on a political character, with chants criticizing senior leadership and questioning the direction of the state.

The authorities responded quickly. Security forces moved to disperse crowds, arrests........

© Daily Times