Iran protests of 8–9 January 2026

The Iran protests of 8–9 January 2026 were a nationwide and widespread uprising in Iran which, following the 2025-2026 Iranian protests and in response to a call by Reza Pahlavi, members of the Iranian opposition took to the streets and expressed their opposition to the ruling system by chanting slogans, holding protests, and engaging in arson.^[1][2][3]

This event was the most extensive protest opposing the Islamic Republic, which was suppressed with the 2026 Iran massacres.^[1][2][4][5]

On 28 December 2025, a widespread wave of protests and strikes began in Iran. These protests were sparked by the severe deterioration of the economic conditions, rising inflation, increasing exchange rate, market instability, and the collapse of the rial's value. The protests started in the Tehran Grand Bazaar and the surrounding commercial centers, leading to the closure of shops and the formation of labor protests. They quickly spread to other cities in Iran.^[6]

After ten days of protests and strikes, Reza Pahlavi called for citizens to participate in a coordinated protest by chanting slogans over two consecutive nights. Pahlavi invited people to chant on Thursday and Friday, 8 and 9 January, at exactly 8 PM, whether on the streets or from inside their homes. The video of this call reached 90 million views over the course of two days.^[7]

At 8 PM on Thursday, 8 January, millions of people took to the streets in cities across Iran. Protesters in cities like Tehran and Mashhad occupied many streets. The protests were accompanied by widespread closures of businesses, protesters gathering in the streets, and chanting slogans of dissent. These protests unfolded with varying intensities and forms across different regions of the country.^[8][9][10] The strike of shopkeepers, as one of the most significant forms of protest, was reported in many cities, with markets in some areas being completely or largely shut down.^[8][9]

The protests spread across cities such as Tehran, Kazeroon,^[11] Boukan,^[11] Kord West, Marivan, Safashahr,^[12] Mashhad,^[12] Boroujerd,^[13] Najafabad, Sarpol-e Zahab, Hamadan,^[14] Bandar Daylam, Khorramabad,^[15] Lomar,^[10] Sirwan, Sarvestan,^[16] Kalachay, Lahijan, Boroujen, Kerman, Isfahan,^[17] Ardabil,^[18] Shahr-e Ray,^[19] Karaj,^[19] Noorabad Mamassani,^[19] Kermanshah, Borazjan,^[20] Amol,^[20] Urmia,^[21] Paveh,^[22] Qorveh,^[22] Shiraz,^[23] Khomeini Shahr,^[23] Saqqez,^[24] Tabriz, Alvand, Qazvin, Behbahan, and cities in the Kurdistan province.^[25]

On the evening of 8 January, protesters had a massive turnout in streets across the country in response to Prince Reza Pahlavi's call.^[26] The video of Prince Reza Pahlavi’s call on Instagram for chanting protest slogans from homes and streets against the Islamic Republic reached 80 million views by Thursday morning, 8 January, the day of the call.^[26] Experts assessed the gatherings of this day as the largest show of power by the regime’s opponents in recent years.^[27]

On 9 January, Prince Reza Pahlavi released a new message calling on protesters to continue their street presence.^[28] He praised the people's participation in the previous night’s call and invited those who had been hesitant in the past nights to join once again.^[28] Millions of Iranians again took to the streets demanding the overthrow of the Islamic Republic.^[29] According to reports, in some areas such as Tehran and Qazvin, the number of protesters was even higher than on Thursday evening.^[29]

These protests became the largest and most widespread anti-government protests since the 1979 Revolution.^{[5][6][30][31][1]}

According to NetBlocks, on 8 January, starting at 7 PM, the internet was gradually shut down across the country.^[32] On 9 January, the internet and phone lines were completely cut off in Iran^[33][34]

The nationwide communication blackout in Iran has been widely described by human rights organizations, such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, as an attempt to conceal the 2026 Iran massacres and human rights violations occurring during the crackdown on the protests. By severely restricting access to the internet, social media, and messaging platforms, the government reduced the ability of journalists, activists, and the families of victims to document and share evidence of the killings and other abuses. This, in turn, limited international monitoring and hid the extent of state violence.^[35][36]

Some sources have described the events of 8-9 January as a widespread crackdown and "digital genocide" due to the large-scale repression, internet restrictions, and communication shutdowns.^[37][38]

According to reports attributed to various sources, during the nationwide protests and simultaneous internet and media restrictions in Iran, an organized and unprecedented massacre took place. According to the reports, on 9 January, Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, ordered the Supreme National Security Council to suppress the protests "by any means necessary," and security forces were given the command to "shoot to kill" and acted without any consideration, which led to a sharp increase in the number of casualties.^[39]

It has been reported that security and intelligence forces engaged in erasing the information of the deceased and other patients from hospital systems and confiscated their medical records.^[5]

During the two nights of 8-9 January, at least 12,000 people were killed, with a significant portion of the victims being young people under the age of 30.^[40][41] According to subsequent reports, the number of victims during these days was at least 33,000.^[38] Some sources have estimated the number to be as high as 43,000.^[42]