"Nothing has changed" Thousands dead, no internet - what remains of the uprising in Iran
After massive repression, the protest in Iran seems to have fallen silent. However, conversations with those affected show that fear and disillusionment are high - but the anger has not disappeared.
20.01.2026, 10:01
SDA
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- The Iranian state has crushed the recent mass protests with massive violence, internet bans and repression, leaving the country dominated by fear and speechlessness.
- Human rights activists report thousands of deaths; the leadership acknowledges victims but blames insurgents and foreign powers.
- Despite a temporary calm, the causes of the protests - economic crisis, political repression and lack of prospects - are considered unresolved, which is why new waves of protest are likely.
What remains of an uprising if it is crushed? In Iran, the state has reacted relentlessly to the latest mass protests - with lethal force, surveillance and digital isolation.
The internet is still blocked and the protests have been silenced for the time being. "Nothing has changed. It's worse than before," says Ali, 24, a salesman in Tehran. Many no longer speak openly. The uncertainty is great, the shock is deep. The state has made it unmistakably clear that retaining power is the top priority.
Ali is disillusioned. Despite the internet blockade, he has heard about the dead - about the thousands that Iran's security forces are said to have killed on the nights of January 8 and 9. He talks about acquaintances whose livelihoods are threatened because their online stores no longer work. The country is in a state of emergency. He is also angry with US President Donald Trump, who has encouraged young people to rebel. "He promised his support. But in the end he let everyone down - only for them to be killed."
Milad is 32, a teacher in a suburb of the capital Tehran. Four of his students were killed during the protests. The mood at the school has been gloomy ever since. "Most of them were just young people who took to the streets for a better future," he says.
Activists verify thousands killed in protests
This is not the first time that the Iranian state has shut down the internet in the midst of a crisis. And yet this time the blockade is longer and more comprehensive than ever before. Nevertheless, reports and recordings are leaking out - via telephone connections or through Iranians who have been able to travel abroad. Human rights activists are documenting the violent response of the apparatus of power. The US-based human rights network HRANA has verified almost 4,000 deaths to date. According to the organization, a further 9,000 deaths are still under investigation.
Iran's leadership no longer denies the numerous deaths. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the political and religious leader, admitted that there had been thousands of deaths during the protests. Some people were killed in an "inhumane, brutal manner", he said - but the "insurgents" were responsible for this. The government is also blaming external enemies: Israel and the USA have fanned the protests and deliberately escalated them, it is claimed.
Trump calls for change of power - state in crisis mode
A feared military strike by the USA has initially failed to materialize. However, US President Donald Trump has taken a clear stance. "It's time to look for new leadership in Iran," he told the news portal Politico. With regard to Ayatollah Khamenei, Trump explained: "What he is guilty of, as the leader of a country, is the complete destruction of the country and the use of violence on a scale that has never been seen before."
The Iranian state has been in crisis mode for years: mass protests against the authoritarian leadership, resistance to strict Islamic laws, the women's rebellion, water shortages - and an ongoing economic crisis, which also triggered the latest wave of protests at the end of December. Even if the leadership is now defending its power by force, the foundations of the crisis remain unchanged, say experts.
Observers also believe it is likely that the protests will flare up again. In Shia Islam, the 40-day period of mourning is considered an integral part of remembrance. In the end, anger could once again be unleashed on the streets. After the bloody nights at the beginning of January, this would be in mid-February. Previous protest movements in Iran have come in waves - and returned when the mourning period ended.
Expert: leadership in Tehran has no sustainable solutions
"Massive violence by Iran's security forces may succeed in temporarily calming the streets," wrote analyst Suzanne Maloney from the US think tank Brookings. "But the leadership in Tehran lacks a sustainable way to alleviate economic hardship." Added to this are military setbacks - and the weakening of allied groups, from Lebanon to Syria.
Meanwhile, there is movement behind the scenes in the power apparatus, as the exile medium Iranwire reports. Ali Larijani, Secretary General of the National Security Council, is said to have played a key role in the suppression of the recent protests. At the same time, the portal quotes an insider as saying that Larijani believes in "cultural and economic reforms as well as diplomatic rapprochement - similar to the reforms that were implemented in China".
"Protests will continue"
The Security Council has already come under greater scrutiny following the Israeli war against Iran six months ago. Larijani was appointed to the post after being denied a presidential candidacy two years ago by the powerful Guardian Council. A few days ago, the USA imposed sanctions on him for his role in the repression.
Iran's President Massud Peseshkian also held out the prospect of reforms shortly after the protests broke out at the end of December. But hardly anyone in the country still believes this. "Inflation continues, everything is expensive," says Amir, 21, a student. "As long as these problems persist, the protests will continue."
