Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei blasted protesters in a speech aired Friday. (Source: Express Archives)Iran Protests 2026 Highlights: Iran’s parliament speaker on Sunday warned that the US military and Israel will be “legitimate targets” if America strikes the Islamic Republic as Israeli sources said Tel Aviv was on high alert for the possibility of any US intervention. Earlier, US President Donald Trump, having been briefed on new striking options, warned Iranian leaders that the US will respond severely if they crack down on protesters.
Large protests target Iran’s leadership: Huge crowds have taken to the streets of Iran’s capital Tehran and other major cities in what appears to be the most significant public challenge to the country’s clerical establishment in years. Videos verified by the BBC show thousands marching peacefully through Tehran and Mashhad, chanting slogans that directly target the foundations of the Islamic Republic, including calls for the overthrow of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the return of monarchy under Reza Pahlavi.
Protests enter twelfth day: The demonstrations mark the twelfth consecutive day of unrest triggered by economic anger, particularly the collapse of Iran’s currency, and have spread to more than 100 cities and towns across all 31 provinces, according to rights groups.
US President Donald Trump is considering possible military action against Iran after deadly protests across the country, CNN reported, citing two US officials. The discussions come after Trump warned Tehran against using lethal force on protesters.
US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that he plans to speak with billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk about restoring internet in Iran, where authorities blacked out service amid ongoing anti-government protests.
US President Donald Trump said on Sunday he is weighing a range of responses to escalating unrest in Iran, including possible military options, as massive protests continue to roil the country.
Iran has warned it will retaliate if attacked by the US, as BBC sources and activists report hundreds of protesters have now been killed in an escalating government crackdown.
"Things here are very, very bad," a source in Tehran said on Sunday. "A lot of our friends have been killed. They were firing live rounds. It's like a war zone, the streets are full of blood. They're taking away bodies in trucks."
The BBC counted about 180 body bags in footage from near Tehran. The US-based Human Rights Activist News Agency (HRANA) says it has verified the deaths of 495 protesters and 48 security personnel nationwide.
According to report by cybersecurity watchdog NetBlocks, the Iranian administration's blockage on the internet has entered into its fourth day.
The death toll in the crackdown on nationwide protests in Iran has reached 538, while 10,600 people have been detained, US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency stated, AP reported.
Of those killed in the crackdown, 490 were demonstrators and 48 were members of the security forces, the activist group added.
US President Donald Trump is scheduled to be briefed by senior officials on specific options that his administration can take regarding the ongoing protests in Iran, the Wall Street Journal reported citing US officials.
The Journal report further stated that the US president's meeting with his administration's officials will be a discussion about possible next steps including military strikes, deploying secretive cyber weapons against Iranian military and civilian sites.
Israel is closely monitoring growing protests in Iran, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday.
"Israel is closely monitoring developments in Iran. The demonstrations for freedom have spread across the country. The people of Israel, and indeed the entire world, marvel at the immense bravery of the citizens of Iran," Netanyahu said at the start of his cabinet meeting. "We all hope that the Persian nation will soon be freed from the yoke of tyranny."
- Reuters
Protests and violence has spread across Iran with death toll now reaching 203 as activists warned that the toll could be far higher, AP reported.
Of those killed 162 are protesters and 41 are members of the security forces, according to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency.
Iran's president says officials will listen to protesters, but rioters are trying to “destroy the entire society” as demonstrations sweep across the Islamic Republic.
The comments from Masoud Pezeshkian represent a hardening tone from the reformist leader, who so far has been unable to assuage the public, as anger over the country's ailing economy exploded into a direct challenge to the nation's theocracy.--AP
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian has said that the Islamic Republic's officials will listen to protesters, but rioters are trying to 'destroy the entire society,' news agency AP reported.
Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian has accused US President Donald Trump's administration and Israeli government of trying to "sow chaos and disorder" in the country by ordering "riots" and called upon the Iranians to keep a distnce from "rioters and terrorists."
Tehran on Sunday threatened to retaliate against Israel and US bases in the event of US strikes on Iran, delivering the warning to Washington as Israeli sources said Israel was on high alert for the possibility of any US intervention.
With Iran's clerical establishment facing the biggest anti-government protests since 2022, US President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to intervene in recent days, warning Iranian leaders against using force against demonstrators.
On Saturday, Trump said the US stands “ready to help”.
Three Israeli sources, who were present for Israeli security consultations over the weekend, said Israel was on a high alert footing, but did not elaborate on what that meant.
An Israeli government spokesperson declined to comment. The Israeli military didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
Israel and Iran fought a 12-day war in June, in which the US joined Israel in launching airstrikes. Iran retaliated for those US strikes by firing missiles at an American air base in Qatar.
(Reuters)
Iran warned President Donald Trump on Sunday that any US attack would lead to Tehran striking back against Israel and regional US military bases as "legitimate targets", Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf told parliament.
Israel is on high alert for the possibility of a US intervention to support a nationwide protest movement in Iran, sources said.
(Reuters)
Israel is on high alert for the possibility of any US intervention in Iran as authorities there confront the biggest anti-government protests in years, according to three Israeli sources with knowledge of the matter.
President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to intervene in recent days and warned Iran's rulers against using force against demonstrators. On Saturday, Trump said the U.S. stands “ready to help”.
The sources, who were present for Israeli security consultations over the weekend, did not elaborate on what Israel's high-alert footing meant in practice.
Israel and Iran fought a 12-day war in June, in which the US joined Israel in launching airstrikes.
(Reuters)
Iran's Parliament Speaker has warned the US President that any attack on Iran will lead to strikes on Israel and regional US bases, considering them "legitimate targets".
This warning comes amid escalating tensions between Iran and the US, with the US supporting anti-government protesters in Iran and Iran accusing the US of directing Israeli attacks on its territory. (Reuters)
A protester climbed the Iranian Embassy in London on Friday, tore down the Islamic Republic’s flag and replaced it with Iran’s pre-1979 “Lion and Sun” emblem, according to videos shared online.
Breaking
— (کسریٰ) Kasra (@ka3rimi) January 10, 2026
پرچم خرچنگ نشان سفارت ایران اشغالی به پایین کشیده و پرچم ملی ایران جایگزین شد
Iranian protesters in London pulled down the flag of the Islamic Republic from the Iranian embassy and installed the Lion and Sun flag in its place.#iranrevolution2026 #longlivetheshah pic.twitter.com/hmUZpxpBId
Nationwide protests challenging Iran’s theocracy reached the two-week mark Sunday, as the death toll in violence surrounding the demonstrations reached at least 116 people killed, activists said. With the internet down in Iran and phone lines cut off, gauging the demonstrations from abroad has grown more difficult.
But the death toll in the protests has grown to at least 116 people killed and over 2,600 others detained, according to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency.
(Reuters)
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke over the phone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday, Axios reporter Barak Ravid said on X, adding they discussed protests in Iran along with Gaza and Syria.
Ravid cited a US source.
Secretary of State Rubio spoke on the phone on Saturday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. U.S. source said it was a routine check in call and they discussed the protests in Iran, Gaza and Syria
— Barak Ravid (@BarakRavid) January 11, 2026
US President Donald Trump has been briefed on new military strike options against Iran as he considers responding to the Islamic Republic's crackdown on protesters.
Trump has not reached a final decision but is seriously weighing authorizing a strike in response to the deadly crackdown on protests. He has been presented with several options, including strikes on nonmilitary targets in Tehran.
_NYT
President Donald Trump on Saturday reiterated the US support for the protesters in Iran. Trump, in a post on Truth Social said, the US stands ready to help Iran achieve freedom.
Senator Lindsey Graham has told Iranian protesters that "help is on the way" as they face crackdowns by the Iranian regime.
Graham warned Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei that President Donald Trump would intervene if the violence continues, stating "Donald Trump is going to kill you" if he keeps harming his people.
Trump has also warned Iran, saying the US is "locked and loaded" to respond if protesters are harmed.
Several major airlines, including Lufthansa, flydubai, Turkish Airlines, AJet, Pegasus, Qatar Airways, and Austrian Airlines, have suspended their flights to Iran due to ongoing protests and a countrywide internet blackout.
The cancellations, which include at least 17 flights by Turkish Airlines and 17 flydubai flights, are likely a precautionary measure to ensure passenger safety. Iranian airlines like Iran Air and Mahan Air continue to operate normally.
- inputs from agencies
President Donald Trump on Saturday reiterated the US support for the protesters in Iran. Trump, in a post on Truth Social, said the US stands ready to help Iran achieve freedom.
“Iran is looking at FREEDOM, perhaps like never before. The USA stands ready to help,” Trump said.
Iran has now been offline for 48 hours, as telemetry shows the nationwide internet blackout remains firmly in place, cybersecurity watchdog NetBlocks said in a post on X. NetBlocks also pointed out that while the internet has been suspended across Iran, the Islamic Republic’s leaders continue to post on social media.
⚠️ Update: #iran has now been offline for 48 hours, as telemetry shows the nationwide internet blackout remains firmly in place.
— NetBlocks (@netblocks) January 10, 2026
Meanwhile, regime leaders have continued to post their version of events online while their kill-switch silences the voices of 90 million Iranians 😶 pic.twitter.com/TubjIy4f0g
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Saturday said Europe stands fully behind the protesters in Iran. “We unequivocally condemn the violent repression of these legitimate demonstrations,” she said in a post on X.
Tehran’s streets, and cities around the world, echo with the footsteps of Iranian women and men demanding freedom.
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) January 10, 2026
Freedom to speak, to gather, to travel and above all to live freely.
Europe stands fully behind them.
We unequivocally condemn the violent repression of these…
Videos posted on social media showed a protester taking down the Islamic Republic flag and replacing it with the Lion and Sun flag at Iran’s embassy in London.
WILD 🔴
— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) January 10, 2026
An Iranian protester removed the Islamic Republic flag and replaced it with the pre-1979 Lion and Sun flag at Iran’s embassy in London. pic.twitter.com/YBAH9zTcxB
Iran’s Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi on Saturday urged workers and employees in key sectors of the economy, especially transportation, oil, gas, and energy, to begin the nationwide strike to add more pressure on the government. In a post on X, he also called on the protesters to hit the streets of Iran on Saturday and Sunday.
Pahlavi, who has lived in the US in exile since 1979, also said he is preparing to return to the homeland “so that at the time of our national revolution's victory, I can be beside you, the great nation of Iran.”
Mohammad Movahedi Azad, the Attorney General of Iran, has warned protesters that anyone taking part in demonstrations will be considered an 'enemy of God,' a charge that carries the death-penalty in the country.
The Iranian army said on Saturday it would safeguard strategic infrastructure and public property and urged Iranians to thwart "the enemy's plots", as the clerical establishment steps up efforts to quell the country's biggest protests in years.
The Iranian military statement came after U.S. President Donald Trump issued a new warning to Iran's leaders on Friday, and after Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Saturday declared: "The United States supports the brave people of Iran."--Reuters
Iran's Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) warned on Saturday that safeguarding the 1979 revolution's achievements and the country's security was a "red line", state TV reported, as the country continues to see its biggest anti-government protests in years.--Reuters
Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed U.S. support for the people of Iran on Saturday, after Iranian authorities blacked out the internet and they sought to curb anti-government protests raging across the country.
"The United States supports the brave people of Iran," Rubio posted on X.
President Donald Trump issued a new warning to Iran's leaders on Friday, saying, "You better not start shooting because we'll start shooting too." - Reuters
Iranians took to the streets in new protests on Friday to press the biggest movement against the Islamic republic in more than three years, as authorities sustained an internet blackout as part of a crackdown that has left dozens dead.
Iran’s supreme leader vowed that authorities will not back down in the face of the rapidly growing protest movement, setting the stage for an intensified violent crackdown.
The US State Department has warned Iran not to underestimate American resolve in response to the ongoing crackdown on protesters. "The Iranian regime is fully aware of President Trump's warning and should not test US resolve," a State Department spokesperson said.
UPDATE on Iran protests: State Dept tells me situation being closely monitored as regime kills more civilians: “The Iranian regime is fully aware of President Trump’s warning and should not test U.S. resolve… The Iranian regime should carefully consider the consequences of its… https://t.co/xnQmH092Yj
— Adam Kredo (@Kredo0) January 10, 2026
Iranian official Hassan Rahimpour Azghadi has suggested capturing US President Donald Trump in response to Washington's stance on Iran protests. Azghadi compared this to Trump's capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, stating Iran should retaliate against American officials.
Senior Iranian official and ideologue Hassan Rahimpour Azghadi said on Friday that Iran should capture US President Donald Trump, just like what he did to Maduro, in response to Washington's stance on the protests in Iran.
— Iran International English (@IranIntl_En) January 10, 2026
“Given Trump's stance, any kind of operation inside US… pic.twitter.com/abm99IvnhW
US President Donald Trump warned Iran’s leaders on Friday against using force on protesters, saying the United States would respond if authorities opened fire, as demonstrations spread across the country and Tehran cut internet access to curb unrest.
Nationwide protests in Iran sparked by the Islamic Republic's ailing economy are putting new pressure on its theocracy as it has shut down the internet and telephone networks.
Tehran is still reeling from a 12-day war launched by Israel in June that saw the United States bomb nuclear sites in Iran. Economic pressure, which has intensified since September when the United Nations reimposed sanctions on the country over its atomic program, has sent Iran's rial currency into a free fall, now trading at over 1.4 million to $1.
Meanwhile, Iran's self-described “Axis of Resistance” — a coalition of countries and militant groups backed by Tehran — has been decimated since the start of the Israel-Hamas war in 2023.
Protests in Iran have been escalating since December 28, driven by economic hardship and a collapsing currency. The demonstrations, which initially focused on issues like food prices and inflation, have evolved into anti-government protests.
At least 65 people have been killed and over 2,300 detained as security forces crack down on the unrest. The protests have spread to over 280 locations in 27 of Iran's 31 provinces, as reported by the Associated Press.
US President Donald Trump has warned Iran's government against using force, stating that the US will "hit them very hard where it hurts" if protesters are killed.
Donald Trump has warned Iran's leaders that the US will respond severely if they crack down on protesters, saying "If they start killing people like they have in the past, we will get involved. We'll be hitting them very hard where it hurts."
He clarified that he didn't mean sending troops, but rather taking strong economic or military action. Trump added that Iran is in "big trouble" and the US is "watching the situation very carefully".
Trump warned Iran's leaders, saying "You'd better not start shooting, because we'll start shooting too," while expressing support for protesters, stating "God bless" them and hoping they'd be safe.
US President Donald Trump issued a new warning to Iran's leaders on Friday as videos showed anti-government protests raging across the country, and authorities blacked out the internet to curb growing unrest.
Rights groups have documented dozens of deaths of protesters in nearly two weeks and, with Iranian state TV showing clashes and fires, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that several police officers had been killed overnight.
Trump, who bombed Iran last summer and warned Tehran last week the US could come to the protesters' aid issued another warning on Friday, saying: "You better not start shooting because we'll start shooting too."
Iran cut off internet access and restricted communications to contain widening protests sparked by soaring inflation. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accused demonstrators of acting on behalf of US President Donald Trump, warning against attacks on public property. The unrest, the largest in three years, has spread across all provinces, with rights groups reporting dozens of deaths, according to Reuters reports.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Friday criticised protesters in a televised speech, accusing them of “ruining their own streets to make the president of another country happy”. The speech, aired on state television, was met with chants of “Death to America” from the crowd.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is expected to address the public shortly, Iranian state television said, as protests continue across the country, Reuters reported. The demonstrations, which began over economic grievances, have spread nationwide amid a sharp fall in the Iranian rial and growing public anger over the country’s economic conditions, Reuters reported.
Iran Protests 2026 Live Updates: US President Donald Trump reiterated a warning that the United States would act if Iranian authorities “violently kill peaceful protesters,” days after American troops captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, a close ally of Tehran, AP reported.
The remark comes as protests continue across Iran and international scrutiny of Tehran’s response intensifies.
Footage verified by BBC Persian shows buildings on fire in Iran’s capital, Tehran, as anti-government protests continued to spread across the country.
Videos from the 12th consecutive day of nationwide unrest show mosques in the Gholhak and Sa’adat Abad neighbourhoods of the city ablaze.
The protests, triggered by anger over the collapse of Iran’s currency, have spread to more than 100 cities and towns across all 31 provinces, according to human rights groups.
Iranian protesters marched and shouted slogans into Friday morning following a call for demonstrations by exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi, despite authorities cutting off internet access and international telephone calls. Short videos shared online appeared to show protesters chanting around bonfires in Tehran and other areas.
Iranian state media later alleged that “terrorist agents” linked to the US and Israel had set fires and sparked violence, reporting unspecified casualties.
The scale of the demonstrations could not be independently verified due to the communications blackout, though the unrest marks a further escalation of protests that began over Iran’s economic crisis, reported AP
The current wave of protests is being led largely by young men, marking a shift from the 2022–23 unrest in which women and girls played a central role. Nearly half of Iran’s population is under 30, and analysts say many no longer identify with the ideological pillars of the Islamic Republic.
Protesters have voiced frustration over enforced social controls and foreign policy choices, arguing that decades-old revolutionary priorities no longer reflect their aspirations. “The collapse is not just of the rial, but of trust,” said Alex Vatanka of the Middle East Institute, Reuters reported.
Iran’s clerical establishment is facing a growing crisis of legitimacy as anti-government protests spread across all 31 provinces, analysts say. While the unrest has not yet matched the scale of the 2022–23 protests sparked by Mahsa Amini’s death, it reflects deepening public disillusionment with the political system.
Demonstrations initially driven by anger over the collapsing rial have expanded into broader opposition to the Islamic Republic’s priorities, particularly among younger Iranians. Speaking to Reuters, analysts say the unrest underscores a widening gap between the ruling elite and a population that increasingly questions the foundations of clerical rule.
Violence linked to the protests has killed at least 42 people, while more than 2,270 others have been detained, according to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency. Iranian media have reported deaths and injuries among security personnel in multiple provinces, including fatal attacks on police and Revolutionary Guard members. Officials have not released comprehensive casualty figures. Analysts note that the lack of a unified leadership has weakened past protest movements in Iran, as security agencies have arrested or forced into exile potential opposition figures.
— With Inputs from Associated Press
Demonstrations continued across Iranian cities and rural towns, with several markets and bazaars shutting down in support of protesters, according to reports. The unrest, sparked by economic distress and a sharp currency collapse, has remained largely leaderless so far. Protesters have chanted slogans against Iran’s political system, while some voiced support for the former monarchy. Rights groups said the scale of protests has increased pressure on Iran’s civilian government and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, even as authorities have not officially acknowledged the breadth of the unrest.
— With Inputs from Associated Press
Iran shut down nationwide internet access and international phone services on Thursday night as protests intensified following a call for demonstrations by exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi. Internet firms Cloudflare and NetBlocks said the outage was due to government interference, though Iranian state television did not acknowledge it. Demonstrations were reported across cities and towns, with protesters chanting slogans against the Islamic Republic. Rights groups said at least 42 people have been killed and over 2,200 detained since unrest began amid economic distress. The protests have increased pressure on Iran’s leadership.
— With Inputs from the Associated Press
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