Iran’s currency crisis has ignited a firestorm of unrest across the nation, with demonstrators taking to the streets in numbers not seen in years. The rial’s plunge to historic lows against the dollar triggered shopkeepers in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar to shutter their businesses in protest, a move that echoed the 1979 revolution when similar actions helped topple the shah. Now, those same bazaars have become battlegrounds where ordinary Iranians confront security forces, chanting “don’t be afraid, we’re all together” as they push back against the regime’s grip.

Students at Tehran University and other campuses have joined the fray, clashing with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps. Armed with little more than their voices, they forced guards out using whatever was at hand, while female protesters defiantly removed their mandatory headscarves and waved them like banners of defiance.

“You [the regime] are a slut, I am a free woman,” one declared in a moment captured on video.

Nafas, a student from Tehran University, told The Telegraph, “Students have been chanting since last night. They [security forces] surrounded the campus last night and rode their motorcycles around it – they returned today with batons, stun guns, and tear gas. Students clashed with them and forced them out, but the gates are now closed. Students at many universities have said they will not attend classes and will continue protesting. What’s the point of studying when there is no future, and the regime gives our money to Gaza and Lebanon?”

The protests, which began on earlier this week, have spread to at least 17 of Iran’s 31 provinces, reaching cities like Kermanshah, Shiraz, Yazd, Isfahan, Fasa, and Kuhdasht. In Fasa, crowds tore down the entrance gate of a government building, while in Kuhdasht, clashes at Imam Khomeini Square turned deadly. Reports confirm police fired live rounds at protesters there, and similar violence erupted elsewhere.

By January 1, the toll included a 21-year-old civilian killed amid the chaos, a Basij paramilitary member slain in Lorestan province, and another security officer dead with 13 wounded. State media acknowledged these losses, but the regime’s response has only fueled the anger, with mass arrests and brutal crackdowns failing to quell the crowds.

Economic despair lies at the heart of this uprising. Inflation has soared above 42 percent, eroding savings and making basics unaffordable. The central bank head resigned amid the rial’s collapse, which has lost nearly 50 percent of its value this year alone. Protesters point fingers at Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s policies, accusing the government of squandering resources on foreign proxies in Gaza and Lebanon rather than addressing domestic needs. Chants of “No Gaza, No Lebanon, my life is sacrificed for Iran” ring out in places like Noorabad in Lorestan, highlighting frustration over funds funneled to Hamas and Hezbollah while Iranians struggle.

President Masoud Pezeshkian has urged unity and promised to listen, even to “harsh voices,” but his words ring hollow as strikes spread through Tehran and beyond. Businesses, universities, and government offices remain closed in 21 provinces under official orders, effectively paralyzing much of the country. Former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo described Iran’s economy as “in ruins,” a sentiment echoed in reports of widespread shortages and desperation.

Flight-tracking data reveals a surge in Russian Il-76 cargo planes landing in Tehran over the past 48 hours, raising questions about Moscow’s role in bolstering the regime during this vulnerable moment. Some observers speculate these undeclared deliveries could include weapons or aid to suppress the dissent, especially as Israel braces for potential Iranian strikes amid the internal turmoil. The Jerusalem Post reported Israeli concerns that Tehran might lash out externally to divert attention from domestic woes.

These events unfold against a backdrop of long-standing oppression, where women face draconian restrictions and dissent is met with force. Protesters compare the IRGC to ISIS, calling for “death to the dictator” in a direct challenge to Khamenei’s authority. In the face of such tyranny, the courage on display recalls biblical stories of the oppressed rising against pharaohs, trusting in a higher justice to guide their path to freedom.

Through it all, Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi has emerged as the popular choice to have his family returned to power, which they lost in the 1979 revolution.

A message to mainstream media regarding the recent Iran protests. #جاويدشاه‌ pic.twitter.com/7Ft4h9CBkB

— Tara تارا (@Tarakb0) December 31, 2025

As the protests enter their fifth day, the world watches. The U.S. has called on Tehran to respect human rights, but real change will come from Iranians themselves. If history teaches anything, it’s that regimes built on fear eventually crumble when people refuse to live in chains any longer. For now, the streets of Iran pulse with a demand for dignity, prosperity, and an end to the mullahs’ rule.