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Brendan Cole and John Feng
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A Newsweek map shows the extent of anti-government protests across Iran in recent days as authorities increase their crackdown.
The map is based on data from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a Washington think tank that has tracked unrest across the Islamic republic sparked by the collapse of the country's currency—the rial—and a worsening economy.
Newsweek has contacted the Iranian Foreign Ministry for comment.
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Why It Matters
The protests began on December 28 over anger at the country's economy, which was hit hard by a 12-day war Israel launched in June and snapback sanctions from the United Nations over its nuclear program.
Authorities had initially allowed the protests to continue as it called for dialogue with workers, but the ISW said the Iranian government has shifted toward harsher measures, differentiating between "protesters" and "rioters" and calling for a crackdown on the latter.
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What To Know
Widening protests sparked by the Islamic republic's faltering economy are putting new pressures on its government.
In its Monday update, the ISW said 369 protests had been recorded in 28 of the country's 31 provinces since the unrest began. Of these, there were 17 medium-size protests, defined as having more than 100 participants, since January 2.
There were three medium-size protests across the country on Monday. Security forces fired at protesters in at least four towns and launched tear gas in at least three, according to the ISW.
As Newsweek's map shows, protests have taken place across a wide swath of the country, including Ilam province in the west, Fars province in the south and South Khorasan in the east.
Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said in a speech on Sunday that while protesting is acceptable, it differs from rioting, and the ISW said the Iranian regime had shifted to a more coercive crackdown on those deemed rioters.
Three Iranian officials cited by The New York Times on Sunday said the Iranian Supreme National Security Council held an emergency meeting to discuss ways to contain the protests with less violence to avoid further provoking public anger.
However, Iranian Judiciary Chief Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje'i wrote on X that the regime would "show no mercy to the rioters." Since December 28, there have been reports of almost 1,000 people being arrested, including minors, and at least 16 people killed.
Last week, U.S. President Donald Trump warned of an intervention if there was a violent crackdown on protesters by the authorities.
Jamal Abdi, the president of the National Iranian American Council, said in a statement shared with Newsweek on Monday, "The Iranian people's legitimate grievances must not be exploited by external actors intent on bringing more war and chaos to Iran."
"If the U.S. truly values the well-being of Iranians, it should abstain from military threats and instead move to ease pressure that has long stifled the aspirations and well-being of the Iranian people while entrenching the country's political and economic elite," Abdi added.
What People Are Saying
The Institute for the Study of War wrote in an analysis on January 5: "The Iranian regime appears to have shifted toward a harsher and more coercive crackdown after top Iranian officials began differentiating between 'rioters' and 'protesters' and calling for crackdowns on 'rioters.'"
Jamal Abdi, the president of the National Iranian American Council, said in a statement: "As protests continue in many parts of Iran, NIAC reiterates our solidarity with the Iranian people peacefully exercising their inalienable right to protest amid desperate economic circumstances and continuing repression from Iranian authorities."
What Happens Next
More protests are likely, but calls by authorities for a tough crackdown on so-called rioters could lead to more violence, leading to anticipation over how the U.S. might respond—although the ruling regime does not appear to be immediately threatened.
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