Tuesday briefing: What has sparked Iran’s latest wave of protests – and what might happen next

The Guardian - World NewsCenter-LeftEN 10 min read 100% complete by Aamna MohdinJanuary 13, 2026 at 07:31 AM

AI Summary

long article 10 min

Nationwide protests in Iran, sparked on December 28th by electronics vendors in Tehran's bazaars, have resulted in at least 648 deaths and over 10,600 arrests, posing a significant challenge to the Islamic Republic. The unrest stems from economic hardship, political repression, and civil rights concerns, reflecting growing public discontent. In response to the government crackdown, the White House stated Donald Trump is prepared to use military force on Iran, and threatened tariffs on countries trading with Iran. Other news includes an NHS overspend on ADHD services, an investigation into Elon Musk's X over AI image manipulation, Nadhim Zahawi's defection to Reform UK after being rejected for a peerage, and Chinese officials pushing European countries to ban Taiwanese politicians based on Chinese border laws.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Nigel Farage 30% NHS 35% Elon Musk ×235% UK 35% Nadhim Zahawi ×235% Reform UK 35% St Andrews University 40% Eskandar Sadeghi-Boroujerdi ×250% Islamic Republic 60% United States 70% Donald Trump ×280% Iran ×795%

Keywords

iran protests 100% political repression 70% economic hardship 70% civil rights 60% government crackdown 60% islamic republic 50% us military intervention 50% trade tariffs 40% donald trump 40%