Iran protests: what we know so far about the spiralling anti-government demonstrations

The Guardian - World NewsCenter-LeftEN 3 min read 100% complete by Kate LambJanuary 14, 2026 at 03:20 AM

AI Summary

medium article 3 min

Widespread anti-government protests in Iran, triggered by an economic crisis, have escalated, resulting in thousands of casualties and arrests. Reports indicate over 2,000 people have been killed, and over 16,700 arrested, with many protesters sustaining gunshot wounds. The Iranian government accuses the US of seeking a pretext for intervention, while US President Trump has warned of strong action if Iran executes protesters and has suggested potential military action. Trump has urged protesters to continue and has cancelled meetings with Iran. The US State Department advises US citizens to leave Iran, citing internet outages and limited US government assistance for departures.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Truth Social 30% Armenia 30% Türkiye 30% Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) 40% Karaj 40% Tehran 40% Hengaw ×250% Erfan Soltani 50% United States ×670% Donald Trump ×580% Iran ×790%

Keywords

iran protests 100% anti-government movement 80% us intervention 70% executions 60% economic crisis 60% donald trump 60% gun shot wounds 50% human rights 50% internet blackout 50%