Overview
- The unrest ignited on Dec. 28 when a plunging rial spurred Tehran bazaar walkouts that quickly spread to cities, campuses and industrial hubs.
- Demonstrations that began over prices now include explicit calls questioning Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s authority.
- Security forces have used lethal force and mass arrests, with casualty figures in dispute due to a sweeping communications shutdown.
- Rights groups cite hundreds of deaths while some reporting describes far higher tolls, highlighting the difficulty of verification under the blackout.
- President Donald Trump is considering a broader toolkit that could include sanctions, cyber operations and potentially limited strikes, as Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Oman discourage military action and analysts downplay prospects of Russian military support for Tehran.