Iran arrests demonstrators as officials threaten punishment
Photo: Iranian police made arrests of key figures in the protest movement (Getty Images)
Iranian authorities have made significant arrests of key figures in the protest movement that has swept the country over the last two weeks. The police chief warned that those responsible for violations would be punished, according to Barron's.
"Last night, significant arrests were made of the main elements in the riots, who, God willing, will be punished after going through legal procedures," national police chief Ahmad-Reza Radan said, without giving details on the number or identities of those arrested.
Protests in Iran
Protests in Iran erupted due to social and political tensions and have spread to several major cities across the country.
Since late December 2025, Iran has been experiencing large-scale protests that have escalated into armed clashes.
They began on December 28 in Tehran, when merchants at the central market took to the streets to protest the sharp decline of the national currency.
According to local media reports, the most active participants were sellers of mobile phones, electronics, and household appliances, who purchase goods in foreign currency and sell them in the local currency.
Students and other segments of the population joined the protests, as did people who had previously been considered pillars of the regime, a development that surprised the authorities.
Iranian authorities responded harshly, using live fire, special equipment, beatings, and mass arrests.
Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), a US human rights organization, reported that at least 116 people were killed during the crackdown on the large-scale protests.
Iran's Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi addressed citizens, calling on them to intensify street protests and organize nationwide strikes, noting that such actions could paralyze the regime and lead to its downfall.
The protests in Iran have become the largest since 2022, triggered by the sharp fall of the national currency and the worsening economic crisis.
