Iran in January 2026: the most important developments in society
Iran in January 2026 was marked by nationwide protests and a deadly state crackdown. A merchants' strike in Tehran's Grand Bazaar over economic conditions widened into demonstrations in more than 100 cities by 8 January. Authorities imposed a near-total internet blackout, which lasted well over 100 hours by 13 January and was partly lifted from 18 January onward. Human rights groups reported hundreds of dead and thousands of arrests by mid-month. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said on 17 January that several thousand people had died. By 28 January, one month into the unrest, death counts ran between 3,117, the official figure released on 21 January, and more than 6,000 confirmed by a US-based rights group, with some estimates far higher.
The possibility of executions drew the most attention after the death toll. On 13 and 14 January President Donald Trump warned of very strong action if protesters were executed. Reports on 15 January said 800 scheduled executions had been suspended, while Iran's foreign minister said there was no plan to hang protesters; Iran later denied halting executions. The judiciary hinted at executions in the following weeks, police issued an ultimatum for protesters to surrender on 19 January, and doctors were reportedly arrested for treating protesters. The US State Department demanded Iran halt the planned execution of a 19-year-old wrestling champion.
The government blamed the United States and Israel for the unrest. It showed pro-government rallies, which President Masoud Pezeshkian joined, and declared three days of national mourning. Exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi repeatedly called for further protests and international backing, and Iranian state television was hacked to broadcast his messages on 18 and 19 January. Diaspora rallies took place in Paris, Milan, London and elsewhere.
International bodies responded. The UN human rights chief and the UN secretary-general expressed alarm, and the UN Human Rights Council adopted a motion on 23 January to investigate the violence. The European Parliament adopted a resolution condemning the treatment of protesters, and the World Economic Forum barred Iran from Davos. Fact-checkers noted that AI-generated videos and misattributed footage circulated widely on both sides.
by WorldBrief & Maksim Micheliov | AI-generated summary
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