Iranian protesters are pushing back hard against a brutal government crackdown, with fierce street clashes continuing into the night despite hundreds feared killed or injured over recent days and a near-total internet blackout cutting the country off from the world.
As of Sunday (January 11, 2026), demonstrations that started over two weeks ago—sparked by skyrocketing inflation and the collapsing rial currency—have exploded into nationwide calls to overthrow the clerical regime and end Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s rule. Protests have hit more than 100 cities and towns across every province, with crowds chanting “Death to Khamenei,” “This is the year of blood, Seyed Ali will fall,” and even pro-monarchy slogans like “Long live the Shah!”
Here are some powerful scenes from the streets showing the intensity of the clashes and the determination of the crowds:
The regime has responded with extreme force: security forces firing live ammunition, raiding hospitals to detain the wounded, and imposing the most severe internet shutdown in years—blocking not just global access but severely limiting the domestic network too. Experts say the only reliable way to get online now is through risky satellite options like Starlink, which could still be traced.
Hospital workers describe heartbreaking scenes—overwhelmed emergency rooms, young people (many in their 20s) shot in the head or chest, bodies piling up with no space in morgues. Rights groups and eyewitnesses report dozens of deaths, including children, with the toll climbing amid reports of hundreds wounded. Some security personnel have also been killed in the violence.
Here’s Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has dismissed the demonstrators as “vandals” trying to please US President Donald Trump and foreign powers:
Iran’s Supreme Leader Vows to ‘Not Back Down’ as Protests Swell …
The government’s attorney general warned that protesters could be charged as “enemies of God”—a capital offense. Khamenei has vowed no retreat, blaming external interference.
On the opposition side, exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi (son of the last Shah) has emerged as a key voice, urging people to keep protesting in large groups, seize city centers, and stay safe. He claims the regime is running short on loyal forces and has promised to return soon. He’s directly appealed to Trump for support, saying the US stands ready to help.
Here are a few images of Reza Pahlavi, who’s become a focal point for many calling for regime change:
Exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi rises during protests in Iran
US President Trump posted on social media that Iran is “looking at FREEDOM like never before” and that the USA “stands ready to help!!!” Reports suggest he’s been briefed on potential military options, though no imminent action is confirmed. US Senator Lindsey Graham has been vocal too, telling the regime their brutality “will not go unchallenged” and that “help is on the way.”
This is the biggest challenge to the Islamic Republic since the 1979 revolution—or at least since the massive 2022 “Women, Life, Freedom” uprising. The economy is in freefall, and after last year’s tensions with Israel and the US (including airstrikes on nuclear sites), the regime looks more vulnerable than ever.
Information is hard to verify fully due to the blackout and restricted access for journalists, but videos and accounts from inside continue to leak out, showing defiant crowds facing off against armed forces.