Iran protests’ surging toll, Trump’s military threats: How did we reach here in 3 weeks

The unrest, fuelled by soaring inflation, fuel price hikes, and a collapsing currency, has exposed the deep fragility of Iran’s economy and the growing desperation of its people.

How it started?

Currency crash and market protests: The first major demonstrations erupted in Tehran’s central markets on December 28, 2025 after the rial plunged to about 1.42 million to the US dollar, its weakest level ever. Prices of food, medicine, and basic goods surged overnight. Anger had already been simmering after the government raised subsidised gasoline prices earlier in the month, according to the Associated Press.

Shopkeepers shut their stalls, protesting against rising living costs. What began as an economic protest quickly drew in students, workers, and unemployed youth.

On December 29 and 30, the protests spread from the capital to other major cities. Police fired tear gas to disperse crowds. Under pressure, Iran’s central bank chief resigned.

President Masoud Pezeshkian met business leaders and promised reforms but the streets continued to fill with protesters demanding more than words.

On December 31, the government appointed a new central bank governor as protests turned violent in several cities. In Fasa, crowds stormed government buildings, clashing with police.

The new year brought with it the first confirmation of deaths of protesters. On January 1, 2026, the authorities confirmed that some protesters had died. In the western city of Azna, gunfire rang out as protesters torched street barricades. Security forces and demonstrators were both among the dead. By now the protests had moved beyond mere economic demands.

On January 2, 2026, US president Donald Trump issued a warning, saying Washington would act if Iran used deadly force against demonstrators. “We are locked and loaded and ready to go,” he wrote. By this point protests had spread to over 100 cities across most of the country.

On January 3, 2026, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declared that “rioters must be put in their place,” widely interpreted as approval for a harsher crackdown. Deaths and arrests surged. Demonstrations reached nearly every province.

On January 6, 2026, a sit-in at Tehran’s Grand Bazaar was broken up with tear gas. Human rights groups said dozens were killed, including members of Iran’s security forces.

On January 8, 2026, after a call to protest by Iran’s exiled crown prince, Iranians shouted from rooftops and flooded streets overnight. The government responded by cutting off the internet and international calls, plunging the country into an information blackout.

On January 9 and 10, 2026, more than 2,300 people were detained as protests continued despite the crackdown. According to the AP, Iran’s attorney general declared demonstrators “enemies of God”, a charge that carries the death penalty.

By mid-January, more than 116 people were confirmed dead with the true toll believed to be far higher, Human Rights Activists News Agency says.

On January 11, 2026, Trump said Iran had approached the US seeking talks after his threats of military action. At the same time, activists said the number of people killed had risen above 544, making it one of the bloodiest episodes of unrest in Iran in years, AP reported.