Politics Tense calm after mass protests in Iran
Following the serious unrest and nationwide uprisings in Iran, a tense calm prevails in the major cities.
14.01.2026, 16:42
SDA
Although police and security forces are still stationed at many important locations in the city, they are no longer on the same scale as last weekend, reported residents of the capital and metropolis of Tehran. "Maybe there will be protests again in a few days," said one man.
Analysts who have been documenting the protests since they began at the end of December have also recorded a significant decline. According to an analysis by the US Critical Threats Project (CTP), only seven protests were registered in six provinces on Tuesday. The CTP is run by the Washington-based think tanks Institute for the Study of War (ISW) and American Enterprise Institute.
Report: Repression may have deterred protesters
The report pointed out, however, that little information was being leaked due to the internet ban. Last Thursday, the CTP had counted 156 demonstrations in 27 of Iran's 31 provinces. The authors also referred to the high number of fatalities during the unrest, although this could not be independently verified. "The level of brutality could discourage protesters and reduce the frequency of protest activity."
Residents of Iran have been able to make phone calls abroad for the first time in several days since Tuesday. They described a tense calm in the cities. The largest mass protests took place last Thursday and Friday. The security apparatus reacted with extreme violence. According to the human rights organization Hengaw, more than 2,500 people have died since the protests began.
Iran's security apparatus systematically cracks down on protests
The state describes the mass protests as foreign intervention and the security apparatus is taking systematic action against them. In a telephone conversation with his French counterpart, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi defended the actions of the state. Originally peaceful protests had turned violent due to "trained terrorist elements", he said.
In one province, the intelligence service of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards reported the arrest of several "main perpetrators" of the unrest. Meanwhile, the General Prosecutor's Office warned against cooperating with the Persian-language exile broadcaster "Iran International", which many Iranians have been able to receive in their living rooms in recent days despite an internet ban. According to human rights activists, the first execution of a protester is already imminent.
US President threatens Tehran once again
US President Donald Trump warned the Iranian leadership against executing protesters. "If they do that, we will act very decisively," he told the TV station CBS News in Detroit. "We will respond very strongly." Trump did not elaborate on his threat. The Iranian judiciary had previously put the first protest participants on trial.
Since the protests against the Islamic Republic's authoritarian system of rule began more than two weeks ago, Trump had already threatened Iran several times with US intervention if demonstrators were killed. He has now promised the latter renewed support. Help is on the way. However, his threats have so far had no consequences.
Trump's options after threats against Iran's leadership
According to information from NBC News, Israeli and Arab government representatives are said to have advised the US government to refrain from attacking Iran for the time being. According to this, the leadership in Tehran is not sufficiently weakened to be toppled by a military strike. But what other options does Trump have?
According to one expert, the US could consider cyberattacks after Iran has blocked the internet. "If the United States or Israel have the ability to tear down this Iron Curtain, it will be met with great joy by the Iranians," said Karim Sadjadpour, an analyst at the Carnegie think tank, in a podcast on US broadcaster NPR.
Experts warn of unpredictable consequences of attacks
A former Iran expert at the US State Department expressed similar views: she listed cyber operations against military capabilities, pressure on allies to expel Iranian diplomats, seizing the ghost fleet of Iranian oil tankers and imposing sanctions on Chinese imports of Iranian oil as possible measures.
"Neither military strikes nor another round of nuclear talks will secure a better future for the Iranians or for US interests," wrote Suzanne Maloney in a guest article for the New York Times.
Targeted attacks on officers or paramilitary units are also conceivable, according to an analysis by the Chatham House think tank. Author Bilal Y. Saab warns of unforeseeable consequences: "Would this actually support the Iranian protesters' goal of overthrowing the regime? The honest answer is: we don't know."
Should Trump have Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei killed, a likely successor would be a military regime led by the Revolutionary Guards. Iran's military had threatened a decisive response in the event of an attack.
USA calls on citizens to leave the country
Amid mass protests and military tensions, the US State Department called on its citizens to leave the country immediately. "Consider leaving Iran by land for Turkey or Armenia if it is safe to do so," it said in a statement. If it is not possible to leave the country, the virtual US embassy advised its citizens to go to a safe place. "Avoid demonstrations, keep a low profile and be aware of your surroundings."
The hostile countries have not maintained diplomatic relations since 1979, when the Islamic Revolution took place in Iran and Tehran was taken hostage.
