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Iran’s hated Revolutionary Guard have been beaten back in running street battles across Iran as protests against the failing Islamic regime entered a third day today. A state of emergency was declared in Tehran and other cities as demonstrations against the dictator Ayatollah Ali Khamenei grew, triggering even the prospect of a full-scale revolution.
This weekend’s public unrest is the most serious for years with reports of multiple street battles, widespread lighting strikes and clashes between demonstrators and security forces in several cities.
A state of emergency was declared in Tehran and several provincial centres as anger against Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s government intensified. Despite a full security mobilisation of Revolutionary Guard, police, intelligence units and large numbers of plainclothes agents - authorities struggled to contain the scale of the demonstrations.
The latest wave of unrest began early on Sunday and quickly spread across the capital. Shopkeepers in major commercial districts shuttered their stores in solidarity with the protests. Merchants in several districts of Tehran also joined the strike, while crowds gathered in the Iron Market in Shadabad.
Security forces deployed tear gas in Shush Square and Javadiyeh, but demonstrators regrouped repeatedly. Similar scenes unfolded on Mellat Street, where attempts to disperse crowds led to further confrontations. Witnesses reported that despite heavy deployments, protesters continued to chant slogans including “Death to the dictator,” “Death to this high cost of living — we march until overthrow,” and “Death to the principle of Velayat‑e Faqih,” referring to Iran’s system of absolute clerical rule.
The unrest was not confined to Tehran. Strikes and demonstrations were reported in Shiraz, Isfahan — including Naqsh‑e Jahan Square — Kermanshah, Mashhad, Ahvaz, Yazd, Karaj, Malard, Pardis, Hamedan, Qeshm, Zanjan and Tabriz, where BRT bus drivers reportedly joined the action. In several cities, central districts saw a heavy presence of riot police and intelligence units attempting to prevent gatherings.
Protest which began among Tehran businesses has now spread to university students who played a prominent role on the third day of protests today. Marches and sit‑ins were held at Tehran University, Sharif University of Technology, Khajeh Nasir, National (Beheshti), Amir Kabir, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tabatabai University, the University of Science and Culture, Isfahan University of Technology and Yazd University. Students chanted “Students will die but will not accept humiliation,” “All these years of crimes — death to this rule,” and “Don’t be afraid — we are all together.” At National University and Khajeh Nasir, students confronted Basij militia members and plainclothes agents, chanting “Shameless!”
Despite the state of emergency, protests continued into the afternoon, with demonstrators moving through Ferdowsi, Vali‑e Asr, Sattarkhan and areas surrounding the Tehran bazaar. Security forces attempted to block access routes, but crowds repeatedly circumvented them or beat them back.
Maryam Rajavi, President‑elect of the opposition National Council of Resistance of Iran, said the scale of the uprising reflected “the anger of tens of millions of people who have been crushed by the rapid collapse of the currency, soaring inflation, unprecedented recession, and systematic governmental corruption and discrimination.” She argued protesters’ slogans pointed directly to what they see as the root of the crisis — the system of Velayat‑e Faqih — and to what she described as the only solution: “Resistance and uprising.”
State media, including the FARS News Agency, affiliated with the IRGC, have specifically mentioned calls by opposition leader Maryam Rajavi and the activities of the Resistance Units, which are affiliated with the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran, the principal opposition movement, and the key member organisation of NCRI.
The protests mark one of the most extensive challenges to Iran’s leadership in recent years, with no sign yet of a return to calm.
Pressure on the regime intensified from outside the country too as Donald Trump threatened fresh military action if Iran attempts to rebuild its nuclear missile programme. After a meeting with Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu he warned he would “knock the hell out of them”.
Israel of course has welcomed the protests as its foreign ministry has long hoped for Khamenei’s overthrow.
The protests began on Sunday afternoon after mobile phone and electronics shopkeepers in Tehran shut their stores as the rial currency fell to a record low of 1.42 million to the dollar. It recovered slightly to 1.38 million on Monday night after the Islamic Republic’s central bank governor resigned but it has collapsed by 40% since June. This collapse has triggered rampant inflation which, even by the regime’s own figures, topped 42% this month.
Food prices are up 72% year-on-year and medicine is up 50%.
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