At least 62 people have been killed during a wave of protests demanding regime change in Iran, according to human rights groups, as the country’s supreme leader threatened a harsh crackdown on demonstrators.
The Human Rights Activist News Agency (HRANA) said that at least 48 protesters and 14 security personnel have been killed since demonstrations began on 28 December.
Protesters have chanted “death to Khamanei” after the son of the toppled former leader Shah Reza Pahlavi, called for citizens to take to the streets. A nationwide blackout remains in place.
Khamenei blamed US president Donald Trump for millions taking to the street to protest the country’s economic crisis, and insisted the Islamic Republic will “not back down” in his first address on Friday.
The protesters were “ruining their own streets to make the president of another country happy … because he said he would come to their aid”, Khamenei said in a reference to Trump, who said last week the US was “locked and loaded” to defend the demonstrators from authorities.
‘Protests may calm down, but won’t be extinguished’Commenting on the situation in Iran, Professor Maziyar Ghiabi, Director of the Centre for Persian and Iranian Studies at the University of Exeter, said:
“The protestors are maintaining their momentum in what is the largest nationwide event of the past decade. Iranian state officials have been uncompromising.
“It is likely the protests will calm down. But given the social and economic conditions, and the buildup of anger, it is hard to think that state force and repression would extinguish them.”
James Reynolds10 January 2026 04:00
A timeline of how the protests in Iran unfolded and grewDemonstrations broke out in Iran on 28 December and have spread nationwide as protesters vent their increasing discontent over the Islamic Republic’s faltering economy and the collapse of its currency.
While the initial focus had been on issues like spikes in the prices of food staples and the country’s staggering annual inflation rate, protesters have now begun chanting anti-government statements as well.
Shahana Yasmin10 January 2026 03:45
Internet blackout continues as unrest spreads across IranIran’s near-total internet blackout continued as protests spread across cities, sharply limiting the flow of information out of the country.
Internet monitoring group NetBlocks said internet connectivity remained cut across multiple service providers nationwide.
Iran’s Ministry of Information and Communications Technology said the shutdown was ordered “by the competent security authorities under the prevailing circumstances of the country”.
The blackout has also disrupted travel links. At least 17 flights between Dubai and Iran were cancelled, according to Dubai Airport’s website.
Shahana Yasmin10 January 2026 03:30
Iran’s Supreme Leader threatens crackdown as protests escalateAyatollah Ali Khamenei has threatened that Iranian authorities will not back down in the face of a rapidly growing protest movement.
In his first public remarks since protests began on 28 December, Khamenei described demonstrators as “vandals” and “saboteurs”, accusing them of acting on behalf of foreign powers.
“The Islamic Republic came to power through the blood of hundreds of thousands of honourable people. It will not back down in the face of vandals,” he said
He claimed that protesters were “ruining their own streets” to please foreign leaders, including former US president Donald Trump, who has threatened American intervention if protesters are killed.
Shahana Yasmin10 January 2026 03:15
Pictured: Demonstrators march on Tehran
Demonstrators chanting “death to the dictator” as they march in the Iranian capital Tehran (UGC/AFP via Getty Images)
Cars burn during the protests in Tehran (Social media)James Reynolds10 January 2026 03:00
Recap: Trump says Ayatollah looking to flee Iran amid unrestThe Iranian regime is under increasing pressure as nationwide protests gain momentum.
At least 40 protesters and several police officers have been killed in clashes, according to rights groups and local media, with 2,200 arrests and counting.
The government switched off the internet to most of the country as opposition groups tried to rally action against the regime.
Maira Butt has the full story:
James Reynolds10 January 2026 02:00
Germany’s Merz condemns killing of protestorsGerman chancellor Friedrich Merz expressed concern about the reports of violence by Iranian security forces on Friday.
Writing on X, he strongly condemned the killing of protestors and shared the joint stance of Germany, France and Britain in urging the Iranian authorities to refrain from violence.
James Reynolds10 January 2026 01:02
Watch: Trump saying US watching pretty incredible Iran protests very closelyTrump saying US watching pretty incredible Iran protests very closely.mp4James Reynolds10 January 2026 00:30
Recap: Risk of foreign intervention ‘very low’ says Iran’s foreign ministerIran’s foreign minister said earlier on Friday that the risk of foreign intervention is “very low” as US President Donald Trump warned it would hit Iran “hard” if it attacked protesters amid political unrest across the country.
Trump added that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei would be fleeing the country with reports that he could escape to Russia, sparking speculation that the US could intervene.
James Reynolds9 January 2026 23:53
How many people have been killed amid the unrest?Iranian rights group HRANA said on Friday it had documented the deaths of at least 62 people.
That figure included 14 security personnel and 48 protesters, since demonstrations began on December 28.
Iranian media reported that a number of children were among the casualties.
James Reynolds9 January 2026 23:01
