The recent wave of protests in Iran, which began on 28 December 2025, sent many shockwaves, including questioning the legitimacy of Ayatollah Khamenei’s power. The protests, initially triggered by worsening economic conditions, rising prices, unemployment, and a weakening currency, however, rapidly turned into anti-regime momentum across major cities: Tehran, Mashhad, Isfahan, and Shiraz. By early January 2026, slogans such as “death to Khamenei” shifted the protests beyond reformist demands, directly challenging clerical authority. Independent human rights organisations reported that thousands of protesters were killed, injured, and detained within weeks, while the state has responded with as usual explanations, including foreign interference, national security threats, and sedition..