Iran’s Tiananmen Square moment? Image of lone protester emerges, echoing China’s famous ‘Tank Man’, as Tehran is rocked by protests
A photo of a lone demonstrator sitting defiantly on the road in front of armed security forces amid violent nationwide protests in Iran bears similarities to the ‘Tank Man’ photo taken during the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests.
The photo, widely shared in local media including broadcaster Iran International, shows a brave protester sitting on a Tehran street in an attempt to prevent armed police from riding their motorcycles on the road.
The image emerged on social media overnight after the country was rocked by the biggest protests in three years that began after the Iranian rial fell to a record low against the US dollar.
The photo is reminiscent of the striking image of ‘Tank Man’, also known as ‘Unknown Rebel’, taken in 1989 amid mass student-led protests against the authoritarian government.
The picture shows an unidentified Chinese man carrying shopping bags. In front of a column of Type 59 tanks on Chang’an Boulevard near Tiananmen Square Beijing On June 5 of that year, just one day after soldiers opened fire on thousands of unarmed protesters, killing thousands.
As in China in 1989, student-led protests have broken out in Iran in recent days. As economic conditions in the country worsen, it is expanding from the capital Tehran to at least eight more cities.
Protests broke out at seven Tehran universities, among the country’s most prestigious, and the university of technology in the central city of Isfahan, according to Ilna, the news agency associated with Iran’s labor movement.
The student protest followed protests by shop owners in central Tehran on Monday and a day before banks, schools and businesses in the capital and most provinces were temporarily closed to save energy during bitterly cold weather.
A photo of a lone protester sitting defiantly in front of armed security forces in Iran has gone viral on social media
It looks like the ‘Tank Man’ photo taken during China’s Tiananmen Square protests
The Iranian rial fell against the dollar and other world currencies; When the protests broke out on Sunday, the US dollar was trading at about 1.42 million riyals, compared with 820,000 riyals a year ago; This increased import prices and hurt retail traders.
Today, a massive and aggressive police and security presence has been deployed. There are important intersections in the center of Tehran and around some universities.
Spontaneous demonstrations broke out in the city’s largest mobile phone market on Sunday, later gaining momentum, but their numbers remained limited and confined to central Tehran. The vast majority of stores elsewhere continued to operate as usual.
President Masoud Pezeshkian, who has less authority under Iran’s system of government than supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, met with labor leaders on Tuesday and made suggestions to combat the economic crisis.
“I have asked the interior minister to listen to the legitimate demands of the protesters by engaging in dialogue with their representatives so that the government can do everything it can to resolve the issues and act responsibly,” he said in a social media post.
Parliament speaker Mohammed Bagher Galibaf also called for “necessary measures focused on increasing the purchasing power of the people,” but warned against foreign agents and government opponents attempting to exploit the protests, according to state television.
On Monday, the government announced that the central bank governor would be replaced by former economy and finance minister Abdolnasser Hemmati.
While price fluctuations have paralyzed sales of some imported goods, both sellers and buyers are reportedly choosing to postpone transactions until the outlook becomes clearer.
The image emerged on social media overnight after Iran was rocked by its biggest protests in three years. Image: Protesters march in Tehran on Monday, December 29, 2025
Protests in Iran’s capital Tehran began on Sunday after the country’s currency fell to a record low against the US dollar.
Reports in the official Iranian media that the government plans to increase taxes for the Iranian New Year, which will start on March 21, have increased concerns.
According to Etemad newspaper, one trader complained that authorities offered no support to store owners struggling with rising import costs.
‘They didn’t even follow up on how the dollar price affected our lives,’ he complained, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
‘We had to decide to show our protest. ‘We cannot even sell a phone case at this dollar price, and the authorities do not care that we make a living selling mobile phones and accessories.’
According to official statistics, inflation was at 52 percent on an annual basis in December. However, this figure is still far below many price increases, especially for basic needs.
The country’s economy, already battered by decades of Western sanctions, was further strained after the United Nations in late September reimposed international sanctions linked to the country’s nuclear program that were lifted 10 years ago.
Western powers and Israel accuse Iran of obtaining nuclear weapons, an accusation Tehran denies.
Current protests against the high cost of living have not reached the level of the nationwide demonstrations that shook Iran in 2022.
These protests were sparked by the death in custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who was arrested for allegedly violating the country’s strict dress code for women.
Amini’s death triggered months of unrest, with hundreds of people, including dozens of security personnel, killed and thousands arrested.
In 2019, protests broke out in Iran after the announcement of a sharp increase in oil prices. The unrest spread to nearly 100 cities, including Tehran, and left dozens dead.
