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Protests Spread Across Iran as Demonstrators Chant “Death to the Dictator”

Tehran — January 6, 2026

Anti-government protests continued to spread across Iran on Tuesday, reaching most of the country’s 31 provinces and including cities long considered loyal strongholds of the Islamic Republic, according to media reports and opposition groups.

The demonstrations, marked by chants of “Death to the dictator,” are being described by outside observers as among the largest and most sustained challenges to Iran’s ruling theocracy since the “Women, Life, Freedom” uprising of 2022. Protesters have shown little sign of retreat despite arrests, violence, and an ongoing security crackdown.

The BBC reported verified video evidence of protests in at least 17 provinces, with additional reports of demonstrations in 11 more provinces that had not yet been fully documented. Footage circulating on social media shows anti-government gatherings in more than 50 cities and towns, including the religious centers of Qom and Mashhad, which have historically been bastions of support for the clerical establishment.

Analysts said the presence of sustained unrest in these cities suggests the regime is losing support even among traditionally loyal constituencies, amid worsening economic conditions and widespread dissatisfaction with government mismanagement.

Regime Response Appears Cautious

While Iranian security forces have responded with violence, human rights groups reported at least 25 protest-related deaths over the past nine days. However, the response has so far been more restrained than during previous crackdowns, including those following the 2009 disputed elections, the 2022 protests, and unrest after Iran’s military confrontations with Israel and the United States in 2025.

Observers suggested the regime may be exercising caution following warnings from U.S. President Donald Trump, who said Washington would intervene if Iranian authorities “violently kill peaceful protesters.” Trump reiterated the warning this week after a U.S. operation led to the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.

Iranian officials have attempted to distinguish between what they describe as “legitimate” protesters with grievances and “rioters” allegedly acting on behalf of Western governments. Analysts say a large-scale crackdown would undermine those claims and further erode the regime’s credibility.

Nevertheless, reports of severe abuses continue to emerge. The BBC confirmed that security forces opened fire on demonstrators in the western town of Malekshahi on Saturday. In the nearby city of Ilam, witnesses reported gunfire directed toward Imam Khomeini Hospital, where injured protesters were receiving treatment. Iranian authorities said an investigation had been launched into the incident.

Clashes and Acts of Defiance

The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), an opposition group, reported ongoing clashes between protesters and security forces across several provinces. According to the group, young demonstrators have engaged in street battles with members of the State Security Force (SSF), setting fire to police motorcycles and attacking facilities used by the Basij militia, a paramilitary organization linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

“In Aligudarz, hit-and-run street battles forced regime mercenaries to flee,” NCRI said in a statement. The group also reported that protesters in Mashhad and Neyriz burned banners depicting Qassem Soleimani, the former commander of the IRGC’s Quds Force.

Soleimani, who oversaw Iran’s regional military and intelligence operations, was killed in a U.S. drone strike in Iraq in January 2020. While the Iranian government venerates him as a martyr, protesters have increasingly targeted his image as a symbol of the regime’s costly foreign interventions.

Calls for Regime Change

Chants recorded at demonstrations include calls for the overthrow of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and support for Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s last shah. The BBC reported growing visibility of slogans referencing the pre-1979 Pahlavi dynasty.

Another slogan gaining traction both on the streets and online translates as “What a vain illusion,” a phrase recently used by Elon Musk in a public exchange with Khamenei after the supreme leader vowed that Iran would “not give in to the enemy.”

Economic Collapse and Political Uncertainty

Analysts cited by Al Jazeera said the Iranian government is increasingly unable to blame economic hardship on Western sanctions alone. Despite deepened ties with China and Russia, living standards continue to deteriorate, while Iran’s costly network of militant allies in Lebanon, Syria, Gaza, and Yemen has been severely weakened.

Iran’s influence in Syria has also diminished following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government, with Syria’s new leadership reportedly rejecting Tehran’s demands for repayment of an estimated $50 billion in debt.

Al Jazeera suggested that the regime’s attempt to split protesters into “legitimate” demonstrators and foreign-backed agitators may reflect internal divisions, particularly within the security forces, amid fears they could be blamed—or purged—if the government collapses.

Rumors of an Exit Plan

The Times of London reported Monday that rumors are circulating within Iran that Ayatollah Khamenei is preparing contingency plans to flee the country if unrest escalates or security forces withdraw their support.

According to the report, a possible evacuation route could mirror that used by Assad when he fled Damascus in December 2024, with Khamenei and close family members potentially relocating to Moscow along with financial assets and overseas properties. The plan would reportedly include Khamenei’s son, Mojtaba, a senior cleric widely seen as a possible successor.

As protests continue to spread, the durability of Iran’s ruling theocracy appears increasingly uncertain.