Iran Protests and Crackdown

Iran is experiencing widespread protests, the largest since 2022, primarily sparked by its ailing economy and the rapid depreciation of the Iran — Iranian rial. At least 10 people have died in the violence. Ali Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader, has ordered security forces to aggressively suppress the demonstrations, labeling participants as 'rioters' and blaming foreign powers like the United States and Israel for inciting the unrest. U.S. President Donald Trump has warned Iran against violently killing peaceful protesters, threatening U.S. intervention, which has drawn an angry response from Iranian officials who have threatened to target American troops. The protests have spread across more than 100 locations in 22 of Iran's 31 provinces. Despite reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian's attempts to negotiate, the economic crisis continues to fuel public discontent. The situation is further complicated by recent geopolitical events, including a past war with Israel where the U.S. bombed Iranian nuclear sites, and the reported capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by the U.S. military.