Iran has been shaken by a series of protests over the past 50 years, with demonstrations recurring in different forms—sometimes sparked by political freedoms, sometimes by anger over crackdowns, and at other times by economic pressures. The pattern, as described by the Associated Press, has often included nationwide mobilizations followed by harsh security responses and, at points, communications disruptions.
Beginning with the demonstrations that led to the 1979 Islamic Revolution, students, oil workers and others protested while demanding political freedoms. The protests in the lead-up to the revolution pressured Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who ultimately fled the country. The revolution took hold in February under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, installing a hard-line Shiite theocracy under his ultimate control, the Associated Press reported.
After the new government took control, it executed thousands, according to the account. The bloodshed of the 1980s Iran-Iraq war and a crackdown halted mass demonstrations for years, the story said.
In 1999, students at Tehran University began protesting after activists and intellectuals known as the “chain murders” were killed. A security force crackdown on the campus sparked more demonstrations, and the Associated Press said at least three people were killed while 1,200 were detained.
In the summer of 2009, Iran’s reformist opposition raised accusations that the reelection victory of hard-line president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was rigged. Millions nationwide protested over the following months, becoming known as the “Green Movement,” the Associated Press said. The report described a brutal security force crackdown that saw dozens killed and thousands arrested.
Demonstrations also emerged again in 2017-2018, when anger over rising food prices and government plans to cut cash handouts for poorer Iranians sparked protests. The Associated Press said the protests began in Mashhad and spiraled out of control, leaving over 20 people killed and hundreds arrested.
In 2019, the government announced a spike in subsidized gasoline prices, and the Associated Press said that triggered intense protests. The protests involved burnings of gas stations, banks and stores, and the report said over 300 people reportedly were killed. It also said authorities shut off the country’s access to the internet.
The Associated Press linked the 2022 protests to the death of Mahsa Amini, 22, after her arrest by Iran’s morality police over allegedly not wearing her hijab in the way authorities wanted. The report said United Nations investigators ultimately found Iran responsible for the “physical violence” that led to her death. It added that a monthslong security crackdown killed more than 500 people and saw over 22,000 detained, while noting that many women still refuse to wear the hijab.
The Associated Press also described unrest in 2025-26 tied to economic collapse and the broader regional context. It said sanctions tightened as Iran struggled after a 12-day war with Israel, and that the rial currency collapsed to a rate of 1.4 million to $1. The report said protests began soon after, and that Iran shut down internet and telephone networks to the outside world after demonstrators heeded a call for nighttime rallies Thursday.