On the twelfth consecutive day of strikes and popular protests, demonstrations across Iran expanded in scale and intensity. Since January 6, the movement has taken on a broader mass character, with people in over 100 cities participating in protests, strikes, and street demonstrations.
Today’s protests were reported in numerous locations, including several districts of Tehran, as well as cities such as Kermanshah, Ahvaz, Rasht, Ardabil, Shiraz, Karaj, Mashhad, Sanandaj, Kamyaran, Dehgolan, Marivan, Saqqez, Mahabad, Bukan, Gorgan, Bandar Abbas, Kerman, Arak, Shushtar, and Gonbad-e Kavus, among many others.
Large crowds gathered in many areas, and protesters confronted security forces, in some cases successfully freeing detained demonstrators. Actions targeting regime symbols—such as the removal of images of Khomeini and Khamenei and attacks on statues of Qasem Soleimani—continued to be a recurring feature of the protests.
Some oil sectors are in strike and workers demonstrating together with protesters.
In Kurdistan, following calls by political organizations, a widespread general strike took place. Shops were closed in cities such as Sanandaj, Marivan, Saqqez, Baneh, Mahabad, Dehgolan, Piranshahr, Bukan, Qorveh, and Sarpol-e Zahab. In several of these cities, including Sanandaj, Kamyaran, and Dehgolan, people also took to the streets chanting anti-government slogans, including “Woman, Life, Freedom” and “Death to the dictator.”
Meanwhile, Tehran’s Grand Bazaar was fully shut down, alongside strikes in bazaars and commercial centers in Tabriz, Kermanshah, Eslamabad-e Gharb, parts of Urmia, and the Persian Gulf Mall in Ahvaz.
Despite the scope of the protests, right-wing and pro-monarchy media attempted to attribute the movement to calls by Reza Pahlavi, a claim widely criticized by activists as baseless.
The ongoing demonstrations, strikes, and confrontations with security forces over the past two weeks are widely seen as marking a new phase of the “Woman, Life, Freedom” revolution. Core slogans continue to include “Down with Islamic regime” “Death to the Dictator” “Political prisoners must be freed,” and demands against poverty, corruption, and rising prices. Labor groups, retirees, and social organizations have also issued statements emphasizing that the movement rejects imposed leadership and seeks an end to repression and exploitation.