Iran braces for more anti-government protests as crackdown escalates

Iranian cities were braced for more nights of anti-government protests over the weekend, despite an escalating crackdown by authorities who have vowed to quell the unrest, The New York Times reported on Jan. 10, 2026. The demonstrations began in late December in response to a currency crisis and have since spread to dozens of cities, according to tracking by the Institute for the Study of War.

On Friday, Tehran and other major cities experienced a second consecutive night of unrest amid an internet blackout; protesters were seen chanting slogans, lighting bonfires and, in some cases, setting buildings on fire, according to witness interviews and videos verified by The Times or shown on BBC Persian.

Human rights groups say dozens of protesters have been killed. Amnesty International reported at least 28 people, including children, were killed between Dec. 31 and Jan. 3, while three other monitoring groups put the toll at more than 40 since the protests began.

Key Topics

World, Iran, Tehran, Anti-government Protests, Currency Crisis, Ali Khamenei