Iran’s Uprising Presses on Despite Curfew and Mass Repression

A sweeping curfew has enveloped Iran since January 14, 2026, as reports of mass killings by the authorities have reverberated around the world. Iranian activists and observers estimate that thousands of people—possibly as many as 20,000—have been killed since the protests gained intensity in early 2026. Accounts reaching Iranians abroad suggest that security forces are now forcing residents back into their homes in the evenings, when demonstrations typically take place. Regime forces heavily patrol the streets, moving in armored vehicles equipped with heavy machine guns or in large formations of special units riding motorcycles.

Iranians are debating the likelihood of a U.S. intervention, which President Donald Trump appeared to signal earlier in the week before backing away. While some reports indicate that the United States continues to make military preparations, protesters believe time is running out. The authorities reportedly have brought in thousands of proxy fighters from Iraq, forces seen as having few reservations about using force against civilians.

Despite the crackdown, protests continue in many cities and towns, though on a smaller scale than the massive demonstrations of January 8 and 9, when exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi called on the public to take to the streets.

An anonymous but widely followed activist account on X reported that public anger has reached unprecedented levels. According to the account, when security forces kill a protester, entire families often join demonstrations in response. Other Iranians have written online that the Islamic Republic has lost any chance of recovery, arguing that public rage and contempt will not fade after the atrocities committed.

Another prominent influencer wrote: “The clerical regime knows better than anyone that after this genocide it can no longer rule Iran—it’s impossible. Every family has lost a loved one, and the people will never reconcile with this government. Public anger has multiplied many times over.” Reflecting a sentiment shared by many, the post described the authorities as an enemy of the people, adding: “The Islamic Republic did not kill to survive; it killed out of hatred for us, because throughout its 47 miserable years it failed to win the hearts and souls of the people. This massacre was the final attempt of the army of Islam to take revenge on Iran and Iranians—because no one can destroy Islam like we Iranians can.”

Some Iranians now describe the uprising—or the revolution, as many have begun to call it—as a second Battle of Qadisiyyah, invoking the 636 AD defeat of the Persian Empire by Arab Muslim forces and the subsequent imposition of Islamic rule. For these protesters, the struggle is framed as an effort to reclaim Iran from clerical domination.

While Trump abruptly signaled that he would not launch an immediate attack, several senior Republicans continued to express strong support for Iran’s protesters. Senator Lindsey Graham was outspoken on social media. On January 15, he announced: “I am traveling to Israel to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his team at this crucial time in the history of the Middle East.” Whether the trip reflects a personal initiative or coordination with the White House remains unclear, but Graham added that “the Trump-Netanyahu alliance has thus far been one of the strongest partnerships in the history of the U.S.-Israel relationship,” expressing hope that it would soon “pay dividends.”

Meanwhile, an Iranian journalist argued that the current mass killing in Iran follows a model honed during more than a decade of repression in Syria. According to this account, the authorities adopted a phased approach, first releasing violent criminals from prisons to attack protesters with knives, then deploying foreign militia fighters from Syria, Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Yemen to carry out killings. Subsequent stages involved Basij forces and plainclothes agents, followed by elite units and trained snipers to spread terror. The post also alleged the use of chemical agents causing temporary paralysis, as well as semi-heavy weapons, as part of a systematic escalation aimed at crushing the uprising.

Iranians now oscillate between desperation and hope. While many urge their compatriots not to give up and to continue resisting the Islamic authorities, others question whether any decisive U.S. intervention will materialize. Some argue that Trump may be deliberately sending mixed signals to confuse the leadership in Tehran while preparing for a more forceful move. In the meantime, tens of thousands of detainees remain in custody. Activists warn that if the threat of U.S. action fades, the authorities will revert to familiar tactics—staging sham trials and carrying out executions.