Since 1979, the mullahs have maintained a firm grip on power in Iran, shaping the country’s politics and society for over four decades. However, many Iranians still vividly recall a time before this regime, when they experienced greater personal freedoms. These memories have fueled ongoing resistance movements, both within Iran and among the diaspora, all striving for transformative change.

Throughout the years, there have been pivotal moments when change seemed within reach. One such instance was the Green Movement, which erupted in 2009, drawing hundreds of thousands of Iranians to the streets in a powerful display of dissent. Yet, despite the movement’s momentum, hopes for international support dwindled as then-President Barack Obama refrained from intervening. Further complicating the situation, in 2016, Obama authorized a controversial transfer of $400 million to Iran, a move that critics argue bolstered the regime’s stability.

These events underscore the complexities of international politics and the challenges faced by those seeking to alter Iran’s political landscape. Despite setbacks, the desire for change remains strong among those who long for the freedoms of the past.

They’ve had moments in the past where things seemed to come close, such as with the Green Movement that started in 2009, and had hundreds of thousands in the streets. But Barack Obama was in office in 2009, so their hopes of any support were dashed. Then, too, in 2016, he secretly flew $400 million to Iran.

The money was owed as part of a failed arms deal prior to the 1979 Islamic Revolution, but payment coincided with the release of four Americans held in Tehran. Hari Sreenivasan speaks with Jay Solomon, the Wall Street Journal reporter who broke the story.

So you had millions that went to helping to prop up the terrorist state. 

But the Iranians are a persistent people, it would appear, especially when you hurt them in their wallets and make it challenging to survive. We’re at another one of those moments in history where hope has sparked again in the country, and people are in the streets, calling for change.

Nationwide strikes and protests by merchants continued across Iran, with shops shuttered in major commercial hubs including Tehran’s Grand Bazaar, Lalehzar Street, Naser Khosrow and Istanbul Square. Demonstrators chanted anti-government slogans calling for the downfall of the ruling clerics and demanding the leadership step aside.

Video circulating online showed protesters inside a major shopping complex in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar chanting, “Have no fear, we are all together,” while hurling insults at security forces and calling them shameless.

Additional footage from Tehran’s bazaar districts showed crowds chanting “Death to the dictator,” calling on merchants to shut down their shops and demanding President Masoud Pezeshkian step aside, as voices in the video said businesses had closed in protest.

It also spread to other cities. They even appeared to be causing the police to retreat in one video. 

Mass Protests In Iran Over Dire Economic Situation via @YouTube

— Nickarama (@nickaramaOG) December 30, 2025

Some were calling for the return of the Shah. 

It’s not hard to see one of the main reasons why they are ticked off. We talk about inflation; this is inflation. 

The Iranian rial has fallen to a new record low against the U.S. dollar. Official data show year-on-year inflation reached 52.6% in December, while average annual inflation was 42.2%.

As we reported, there are also severe water and energy shortages.

 READ MORE: The World Must Stop Ignoring What Iranians Already Know: The Regime Is on the Brink

Crushed by inflation, soaring living costs, and a future stolen by the regime, Iranians are back in the streets to protest. In a chilling echo of Tiananmen’s Tank Man, one man defiantly sits down before the riot police. Desperation has met courage. pic.twitter.com/TH0zWipnhC

— Dr. Reza Parchizadeh (@DrParchizadeh) December 30, 2025

I wish them much luck. 

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