Iran is experiencing widespread protests, many of them resulting in violence and hundreds of deaths. Here, btw takes a closer look at what is happening, why the Iranian people are protesting, and what might happen if the protests continue.
Why Are People Protesting?
The current wave of protests in Iran began in late December 2025 and was born out of the public’s frustration with worsening economic conditions in the country. Inflation in Iran is skyrocketing, with prices increasing almost hourly. Iranian currency has hit a record low, and the president of the country’s Central Bank has resigned. Many people can no longer buy even basic household goods, such as food or medicine. (For example, food prices have risen by 72 percent in the past year.) In addition, the government has stated that it plans to raise taxes beginning in March 2026.
On December 28, 2025, shopkeepers in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar, which is a huge, historic covered marketplace, protested because many vendors at the Bazaar had to close shop. It is unusual for shopkeepers, or bazaaris, to begin a protest, because they are a group that the Iranian government has often counted on for loyal support in the past.
The protests then moved to universities in Tehran and spread widely to more than 100 cities and towns across the country. While the protestors’ concerns were originally economic, they eventually became political as well. People began to express their dissatisfaction with the government in general. Many are calling for the removal of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who is the political and religious leader of the country.
Rising Violence
Protestors have blocked roads and set fires in the streets. The government has responded with violence to attempt to suppress the protests. According to human rights groups, hundreds of protestors, including children, have been killed. Hundreds more have been injured. More than 2,500 people have been arrested. But Iranian media tells a different story. It claims that 950 police officers have been killed and 60 paramilitary personnel injured, but they have also not stated a death toll for protestors.
It is difficult for international news and human rights organizations to verify these numbers, because the Iranian government has also instituted a nationwide internet blackout. Blackouts are used by Iranian government authorities to limit the protests. The government wants to keep information and news about the protests from spreading. But some international agencies are concerned that this is also an indicator of increasing violence to come, which the government wants to prevent the rest of the world from knowing about.
What Will Happen Next?
Iranian government authorities are increasing their response, and protestors refuse to back down. The Iranian attorney general has stated that anyone protesting will be considered an “enemy of God,” which is a crime punishable by death.