Iran faced a brutal crackdown in early 2026 after widespread protests against the ruling Islamic Republic, with security forces reportedly killing thousands in a matter of days, according to Time magazine. The events unfolded after Iranian authorities shut down the internet on January 8, 2026, and gave security forces orders to quell the unrest.
The protests, reminiscent of the 1979 revolution that brought the Islamic Republic to power, saw ordinary Iranians taking to the streets to demand change. However, the response from the regime was swift and violent. Time reported that Iranian health officials indicated the death toll could far exceed most estimates, potentially reaching 30,000 people killed in a 48-hour period. The alleged massacres involved gunfire and were described as "one of the most intensive" since World War II, according to Time.
The unrest occurred against a backdrop of disillusionment with the Islamic Republic. Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who returned to Iran in 1979 after 15 years of exile, had initially been seen by millions as a leader who would usher in democracy and economic prosperity, Time noted. However, critics say that Khomeini and his supporters transformed the country into a totalitarian theocracy, eclipsing the people's sovereignty with an "uncompromising, monolithic order."
The Trump administration had promised the U.S. would come to the rescue, but that did not happen, according to Time.
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