Protests erupted throughout Iran on Tuesday, coinciding with President Donald Trump and other U.S. officials expressing their support for the demonstrators. On Monday, Trump highlighted the severe economic downturn in Iran and the enduring public dissatisfaction, although he stopped short of advocating for a regime change.

Within Iran, the protests continued for a third day, spreading beyond Tehran’s commercial hub. The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), an exiled opposition group, reported that strikes and student protests had become widespread in Tehran and several provincial cities. They described confrontations with security personnel and anti-government slogans. A video shared by the NCRI purportedly shows demonstrators forcing security forces to retreat on Tehran’s Jomhouri Street.

According to Iran International, universities have become focal points for these protests, with significant gatherings at institutions such as Tehran University, Sharif University of Technology, Shahid Beheshti University, Elm-o-Sanat University, and Khajeh Nasir University. In response, security forces have tightened entrance controls and increased security around offices associated with Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Strikes have spread from Tehran’s Shoush and Molavi districts to Isfahan’s Naqsh-e Jahan Square, leading to closures in parts of Tehran’s Grand Bazaar and the gold market. Mobile phone vendors protested by closing their shops and gathering outside key shopping centers. In several areas, the protests became violent, with tear gas used in Tehran and Malard, and reports of live ammunition being fired in Hamadan. Nighttime protests were documented from Qeshm Island in the south to Zanjan and Hamadan in the north, with videos showing crowds chanting “death to the dictator.”

During a press event at Mar-a-Lago on Monday, Trump clarified that he wasn’t advocating for regime overthrow, instead highlighting Iran’s crumbling economy and the government’s harsh crackdown on protesters. He commented, “They’ve got tremendous inflation. Their economy is busted, the economy is no good.”

He said that when Iranians gather to protest, the regime responds with lethal force.

Nooses with red roses are displayed during the Anglo-Iranian community rally to support the Iranian people’s push for a new revolution. Members of the Anglo-Iranian community, along with supporters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), commemorated the 45th anniversary of the revolution in Iran that saw the overthrow of the Shah’s regime and eventually led to a theocratic Islamic republic in 1979. (Loredana Sangiuliano/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

“Every time they have a riot or somebody forms a group, little or big, they start shooting people,” Trump said. “You know, they kill people. All of a sudden people start getting shot and that group disbanded pretty quickly.”

Trump said he has watched the unrest build for years, describing Iran’s leadership as brutal.

“I’ve watched this for years — there is tremendous discontent,” he said. “I’ve watched it for years, and vicious, vicious people.” His remarks came as protests intensified following the collapse of Iran’s currency to historic lows. The rial fell to roughly 1.45 million per U.S. dollar on the open market, triggering strikes and demonstrations centered on Tehran’s Grand Bazaar and spreading to other major cities, according to Iran International’s live reporting. Videos and eyewitness accounts described heavy security deployments, clashes with demonstrators and the use of tear gas as unrest widened.

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz issued a direct message of support. “The people of Iran want freedom,” Waltz wrote on X. “We stand with Iranians in the streets of Tehran and across the country as they protest a radical regime that has brought them nothing but economic downturn and war.” 

A parallel statement from the U.S. government’s Persian-language account, @USAbehFarsi, said Washington supports the Iranian people’s efforts “to make their voices heard,” urging the Islamic Republic to respect fundamental rights rather than suppress protests.

Iranian officials acknowledged the unrest but defended the government’s approach. Reuters reported that government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani said Tehran recognizes protests and that officials would set up a mechanism to engage with protest leaders. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian directed his interior minister to address protesters’ “legitimate demands” and engage in dialogue with their representatives.

Independent analysts warned the unrest reflects deeper structural strains. The OSINT research group SpecialEurasia said in an assessment on Tuesday that Iran’s internal stability has reached a “critical threshold,” citing the convergence of currency collapse, renewed international sanctions and chronic water and energy shortages. The group noted that the participation of bazaar merchants, traditionally a pillar of regime support, signals declining confidence in the state’s economic management and raises the risk of prolonged unrest.

NCRI leader Maryam Rajavi said the protests reflect the anger of “tens of millions” driven to the breaking point by inflation, corruption and clerical rule. NCRI’s claims reflect opposition reporting and cannot be independently verified due to restrictions on access inside Iran.

Protesters march in downtown Tehran, Iran, Monday, Dec. 29, 2025. (Fars News Agency via AP)

Cameron Khansarinia, vice president of the National Union for Democracy in Iran, said the latest demonstrations underscore a growing shift in public sentiment. “Iranians have once again taken to the streets.” Citing President Donald Trump’s remarks this week, he added that “each time they do, the regime tries to crush it,” but argued that “Iranians’ desire to be free is increasingly becoming greater than their fear of the regime.” Khansarinia claimed that chants in support of Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi have been growing in the protests, saying the protesters showed “remarkable bravery.” 

Protesters march in downtown Tehran, Iran, Monday, Dec. 29, 2025. (Fars News Agency via AP)

As protests continue, verification of casualties and arrests remains limited, but the scale and spread of the unrest underscore mounting pressure on Iran’s leadership amid economic free fall and growing public defiance.