What are people protesting about?
- Compulsory hijab and the policing of women. The Guidance Patrol, the surveillance of women in cars and workplaces, and the death of Mahsa Amini in 2022 remain the emblem of state control over private life.
- Executions. Iran executes more people than any other country except China, including protesters convicted after summary trials. See executions.
- Economic collapse. Currency depreciation, inflation and unpaid wages have pushed large parts of the salaried middle class into poverty.
- Infrastructure failure. Rolling blackouts, gas shortages in winter and severe water scarcity have driven protests in provincial cities that had stayed quiet in earlier waves.
- No route to change. Vetted elections, jailed lawyers and closed newspapers leave the street as the only remaining channel.
When did the current protests start?
The Crimson Winter uprising began in late December 2025 and escalated sharply in January 2026. The nights of 8 and 9 January 2026 produced the highest single-night death tolls, with Rasht the worst affected city.
How is this different from 2009, 2019 and 2022?
| Wave | Trigger | Core demand |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 Green Movement | Disputed presidential election | Reform within the system |
| 2019 Aban | Petrol price rise | Economic relief; then regime change |
| 2022 Woman, Life, Freedom | Death of Mahsa Amini | End of compulsory hijab and clerical rule |
| 2025–2026 Crimson Winter | Cumulative: prices, blackouts, executions | End of the Islamic Republic |
The current wave is broader geographically, more working-class, and no longer asks for reform. Slogans target the Supreme Leader directly.
How has the state responded?
With live ammunition, shotgun pellets fired at faces, mass detention, and national internet shutdowns timed to the worst nights. Documented totals and the range of independent estimates are on the death toll page; named victims are recorded in In Memoriam.
What can people outside Iran do?
Name victims publicly, press governments on designations and detainee cases, support verified reporting, and keep the record accessible when Iranians themselves are cut off. Concrete steps are listed on Act and in the current campaigns.
Frequently asked questions
Why are Iranians protesting in 2026?
Because of compulsory hijab enforcement, mass executions, economic collapse, blackouts and water shortages, and the absence of any lawful route to political change.
When did the 2026 protests in Iran begin?
The current wave began in late December 2025 and spread to more than 200 cities during January 2026.
What are the protesters demanding?
Unlike 2009, most slogans now demand the end of the Islamic Republic rather than reform of it.
How many people have been killed?
By late February 2026, monitors had documented more than 2,400 protesters killed and over 40,000 detained; the true figures are likely higher because of internet shutdowns.
What does Woman, Life, Freedom mean?
Zan, Zendegi, Azadi — a slogan of Kurdish origin adopted nationwide in 2022 that frames women's freedom as the condition of everyone's freedom.
Is the internet shut down in Iran?
Iran has repeatedly imposed national and regional shutdowns, typically hours before the heaviest crackdowns, which delays and suppresses casualty reporting.