On the streets of Tehran, the blare of car horns mixes with the shouts of angry citizens—individuals and crowds—capturing a scene wide open to all possibilities.
After months of Israeli strikes that exposed the regime’s weakness, protests are spreading, fueled by inflation, unemployment, and repression. Videos obtained by Alhurra document popular gatherings in more than 30 Iranian provinces protesting the deteriorating economic situation.
From the Kurdish and Baluch areas to the Arab province of Khuzestan, the anger of women, youth, and minorities converges against an authority seen by many as weak, yet still ruthless. The question now: will these scattered sparks ignite into a unified movement capable of forcing change, or will the regime once again succeed in containing the anger through its campaigns of repression?
A Street Boiling, an Economy Collapsing
From the heart of Tehran, Karima (a pseudonym), an employee at a government office, says daily life has worsened since the June war with Israel. She adds: “What good is a nuclear weapon if we don’t have bread for dinner?”
In April, protests first erupted in Kermanshah, in western Iran, sparked by a bread crisis before spreading to other cities. By May, truck drivers launched a sweeping strike across 152 cities, including Tehran, Baghmalek, Kalakhor, Mahabad, Baladkhur, Mehran, Charmahin, and Aligudarz.
“The streets of Tehran are crowded with security forces and the Revolutionary Guard, but the fear has changed sides. They are now the ones afraid of the people,” Karima says in a video sent to Alhurra.
Israeli Strikes and Intelligence Breaches
The Israeli attacks last June dealt a heavy blow to the Iranian regime, targeting high-profile figures in both the military and scientific spheres—most notably senior commanders in the Revolutionary Guard and experts in missile and drone programs. These precise operations not only weakened the leadership structure of Iran’s security apparatus, but also sent a powerful message: Tehran is unable to protect its top officials, even in the most fortified locations.
On the intelligence front, the strikes exposed deep penetrations within state institutions. Local and international security reports pointed to espionage networks reaching sensitive sites and internal communication lines, triggering a wave of dismissals and investigations across Iran’s security and intelligence agencies.
A Crippling Economic Crisis
Iran’s decades-long economic deterioration has reached unprecedented levels. Iranian dissident Matthew Tsuji, a member of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, says the Islamic Republic is going through “one of its worst phases since the 1979 Revolution,” pointing to the collapse of the currency—from around 70 rials to the dollar to more than 940,000—pushing authorities to consider removing zeros from the currency.
From Isfahan, Mohammad (a pseudonym) told Alhurra that some Iranians “have been forced to sell their kidneys just to afford a living.”
Official Iranian reports reveal that more than 30 million Iranians—over a third of the population—live below the poverty line. According to Iran’s Statistics Center, annual inflation hit 34.5% by the end of June, while unemployment stood at 7.7% in the first quarter, driving the misery index up to 42.2—higher than last year’s already grim level.
Minorities Under Repression
Since 1979, Khomeini consolidated his rule after the Shah’s fall in a popular revolution, ending any real power-sharing with the revolution’s partners. Kurdish dissident Faramarz Mohammadi says that period was marked by tensions and clashes with Kurds who demanded autonomy, while repression also extended to other ethnic groups, including the Baluch and Arabs.
Baluch activist Fatemeh Sarhadi explains that Sistan and Baluchestan province remains one of Iran’s poorest, plagued by lack of infrastructure and high unemployment. The Revolutionary Guard imposes heavy military control, treating the region as “occupied territory.”
According to rights groups including Amnesty International and the Center for Human Rights in Iran, security forces opened fire in September 2022 on protesters near the Grand Mosque of Zahedan, killing more than 100 people, including women and children. Sarhadi adds that “Baluch activists face arbitrary arrests, unfair trials, and executions. Large-scale executions are carried out without any official record.”
Widespread Opposition… and Deep Divisions
In response to these conditions, an opposition has emerged, encompassing more than 50 parties and movements—from students and women to Baluch, Kurds, and Arabs. Ahwazi activist Amin Naimi says demands center on “the right to self-determination and a dignified life for all Iranians,” framing the struggle as one for social rights and personal freedoms.
Yet the opposition remains fragmented, both nationally and within ethnic and cultural groups. The absence of a unified front or central leadership capable of organizing grassroots initiatives weakens the movement, while ideological and tribal divisions give the regime room to manage the crisis through repression and piecemeal development policies.
In the oil-rich, resource-heavy southwest, Khuzestan lives under the weight of poverty, marginalization, and repression. Despite being one of the epicenters of protests, the opposition there suffers from similar divisions.
An Uncertain Future
“Whether in toppling the regime or building a democratic system, we must ensure equal participation for all ethnic groups,” says Faramarz Mohammadi.
Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi believes that “victory is only a matter of time.” She adds: “History has proven that no government can survive if the majority of society stands against it.”
For now, the regime benefits from the opposition’s fragmentation to maintain its grip on the streets. The lingering question remains: will the opposition learn from past mistakes and unify its ranks, or will the regime once again succeed in containing the anger?
Randa Jebai
Randa Jebai is an award-winning journalist with more than 20 years of experience. She joined Alhurra TV’s investigative team in 2020, earning honors from the AIBs, New York Festivals, and the Telly Awards. She previously worked with major Lebanese outlets and holds master’s degrees in law and journalism.
One comment
Robert Gillette
08-29-2025 at 13:46
Very interesting piece, thank you. I’ve not seen comparable reporting in US media. Keep it up! I know, you’re working under had conditions.