Why Massive Anti-Khamenei Protests Have Erupted In Iran | World News
Iran is experiencing its biggest uprising in more than thirty years. Protests that began against economic woes quickly turned into a major rebellion against the government of religious leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The demonstrations have now spread to 21 provinces, causing unprecedented unrest across the country. The situation became so volatile that the army was deployed on the streets.
Economic Crisis Ignites Protests
The protests are fueled by economic stagnation, rising inflation, currency devaluation, deteriorating living conditions and growing public discontent with the Islamic government. One of the most important factors contributing to this situation is the constant depreciation of the Iranian currency; This situation has seriously affected daily life and intensified calls for political change.
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Revolutionary Guards Targeted for the First Time
For the first time, protesters are directly targeting Iran’s most powerful military and security force, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which reports directly to Supreme Leader Khamenei and has remained largely untouched during previous protests. This time, Revolutionary Guard bases are being set on fire and slogans are being chanted on the streets, openly targeting Khamenei and demanding his removal from power.
Protesters Stormed Government Buildings
In the city of Fasa, protesters raided the local government building and broke the doors of the Fasa Governor’s office. As anger continues to mount, similar incidents have been reported in many other cities.
Statues of Religious Leaders Toppled
The anger towards Khamenei has reached such levels that his statues are now being torn down. In Ardabil, protesters destroyed the statue of the Religious Leader, which was erected just two days ago.
Violence is on the rise in southwestern Iran, with at least six people dead in clashes between protesters and security forces.
These are the largest protests in Iran since the hijab controversy, involving people of all ages and social classes. Protesters now chant slogans demanding an end to Islamic rule and even the return of the monarchy.
Why is Iran struggling with inflation?
The war with Israel and prolonged US sanctions have seriously affected the Iranian economy, especially the real economy. The value of one US dollar has now reached an all-time low of 1.4 million Iranian rials, with little hope of stabilizing in the near future. By contrast, in 2015 one dollar was equivalent to only 32,000 rials; This means that the value of the currency has fallen approximately 40 to 45 times in the last decade.
This decline directly triggered inflation, which reached almost 50 percent by December 2025. Prices of food, milk, grain and other essential goods have increased by over 70 percent compared to last year.
