Behind the Mass Protests in Iran5 Things to Know

|January 04, 2026Updated:January 04, 2026What initially started as a reaction to economic distress amid sanctions and the tanking of the Iranian rial has turned into mass demonstrations against the ruling regime, with calls for the overthrow of the government of the Islamic Republic.In the span of about a week, the protests evolved into one of the longest and most persistent episodes of unrest Iran has seen in recent months, according to rights monitors.