Zaher Baher

30/12/2025

The situation in Iran, as in many countries, has deteriorated in almost every aspect of life. High inflation, the rising value of the dollar, pound, and euro, the collapse of the national currency, the soaring cost of living, and the lack of basic freedoms have created unbearable conditions. Repression, arrests, kidnappings, and violence against anyone who speaks out against the regime have become routine.

These conditions have led to demonstrations and protests that began three nights ago in Tehran and have since spread to many neighbourhoods, as well as to cities such as Karaj, Qeshm Island, Hamadan, Kerman, Alborz, and others. Shops and markets have closed in solidarity with the protesters and joined the movement.

Iranian society has specific characteristics that shape these uprisings. A large portion of the population is young and largely unemployed. The country has been ruled for more than four decades by a dictatorial clerical regime. At the same time, there is a conscious and experienced working class across many sectors, especially in oil and gas. Decades of repression and failed political organizations have left the population deeply disillusioned, but also experienced.

What is happening today is a continuation of earlier uprisings, including the student protests of 1999 and 2003, the Green Movement of 2009–2010, the general protests and strikes of 2018–2019, the fuel price protests of 2019–2020, and the Woman, Life, Freedom movement of 2022–2023.

The current demonstrations, which began on December 27, have an uncertain outcome. They are being met with extreme repression, including live fire, arrests, killings, and kidnappings.

After all these painful but valuable experiences, there is hope that people will organize themselves in neighbourhoods, streets, schools, and workplaces through non-hierarchical, horizontal groups. By forming neighbourhood assemblies and then city-wide assemblies, people can make collective decisions and take direct action through genuine direct democracy.