On the tenth day of a nationwide uprising, Iran witnessed its largest and most intense protests so far, as Islamic authorities proved unable to contain demonstrators in many locations. Particularly alarming for officials were large rallies in Tehran, unified around a single political demand: The Islamic Republic must go.
The response of security forces has varied by location, but they have killed at least thirty-five protesters so far and arrested hundreds more. Senior police and judicial officials have issued dire warnings to demonstrators, yet in public appearances they have appeared subdued, fatigued, and uneasy.
“Will you stand by criminals or stand with the people? In these fateful days, I expect you to return to the embrace of the nation.”
On the same day, exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi—whose return many protesters are demanding—issued two statements as the movement expanded. In the first, he called on citizens to join demonstrations on the evenings of January 8 and 9 or, if unable to do so, to voice their support from the windows of their homes. In a second message, he warned the armed forces against harming civilians.
“This is a direct message to police and security forces. You put on the uniform to defend the Iranian nation, and now you face a historic choice,” Pahlavi said. “Will you stand by criminals or stand with the people? In these fateful days, I expect you to return to the embrace of the nation.”
Eyewitness accounts and videos showed police standing aside and not intervening in protests in several locations. Some interpreted this as security forces joining the uprising, while others argued that such aloofness is a familiar tactic when police are outnumbered and seek to avoid provoking crowds. The apparent aim may be to prevent attacks on police stations and the seizure of weapons. In one small town, residents carried hunting rifles and shotguns during the funeral of a slain protester. Rather than disrupt the procession, security forces withdrew into a compound, deviating from their usual practice.
Other videos circulated online allegedly showing police officers concealing their identities while reading statements in support of the uprising, with some even voicing allegiance to Pahlavi. The authenticity of these recordings cannot be verified. At the same time, some social media accounts began publishing the identities of officers accused of violently suppressing protests, warning that they would be held accountable eventually.
In one town, protesters attacked a warehouse belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, destroying stores of rice and other food staples reserved for security forces. Social media users noted that the impoverished demonstrators did not loot the supplies. Instead, they trampled the food, signaling that their movement was not simply about inflation or economic hardship, but about overthrowing the Islamic Republic.
State-controlled media in Tehran, which had largely ignored the protests for nearly a week, began publishing commentaries by approved analysts attempting to explain the roots of the unrest and to propose solutions. Much of this analysis appeared disconnected from the scale of the uprising and its uncompromising objective of ending the current system. Some articles went further, sharply criticizing entrenched doctrines and calling for changes in economic and foreign policy—moves widely seen as too little, too late.
Iran’s reformists ... appear bewildered and resentful of hardliners who allowed socio-economic conditions to badly deteriorate.
Shargh, considered relatively moderate, wrote: “What should be done with exhausted voices that have risen yet found no relief? The hypothesis of foreign interference in the emergence of the protests cannot provide a satisfactory answer. If the underlying conditions for protest did not exist, the provocations of Iran’s enemies would have no effect. Protest may instead be understood as the rupture of constricted throats in which unspoken grievances have long accumulated.”
Iran’s reformists—largely former officials and political insiders—appear bewildered and resentful of hardliners who allowed socio-economic conditions to badly deteriorate. They are uneasy about the visible public support for Pahlavi and find themselves politically cornered. While some still hope that one of their own could emerge in a post-Ali Khamenei transition, that prospect appears increasingly remote given a street movement that rejects the system in its entirety.
Unofficial reports suggest that Tehran may be seeking to restart negotiations with Washington. At the same time, there are indications that the United States is conducting military preparations, including unexplained airlifts to Europe reportedly destined for the Middle East. Whether the Trump administration or Israel will intervene to influence events in Iran remains uncertain, but the speed and direction of the protests may determine the outcome before any external move is made.
