2026/01/03Lion-and-Sun Flag Reappears in Iran Protests as Symbolic Defiance Grows
Videos circulating on social media purport to show protesters in multiple Iranian cities removing the Islamic Republic’s flag and raising the pre-1979 Lion-and-Sun flag—an emblem widely used by opposition currents and often treated as a marker of anti-regime sentiment. Verification of individual clips can be limited in real time, but the resurgence of the symbol is consistent with prior reporting that displaying the Lion-and-Sun inside Iran is typically viewed as an act of defiance, and in some cases is linked to monarchist-leaning messaging.
2026/01/03Khamenei Blames FX Surge on “Enemy” as Currency Volatility Squeezes Businesses
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said the sharp rise and instability in foreign-currency prices is “not natural” and “the enemy’s work,” arguing that the swings leave merchants unsure “what they’re supposed to do.” He added that officials are working on remedies to contain the disruption, as the currency shock remains central to the cost-of-living backlash and broader unrest narrative.
2026/01/03Iran Appeals to UN Over Trump “Intervention” Rhetoric as Diplomatic Friction Escalates
Tehran has formally taken its complaint to the United Nations , with Iran’s UN ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani sending a letter to the UN Secretary-General and the UN Security Council president condemning President Donald Trump’s remarks as “reckless” and warning they risk escalation. The move follows Trump’s public claim that the U.S. could intervene if Iran’s authorities use lethal force against peaceful protesters , reflecting a widening U.S.–Iran confrontation that is now playing out in multilateral forums as protests continue at home.
2026/01/03Nationwide Iran Protests Enter Seventh Day as Rial Slides Fuels Economic Anger
Reports indicate Iran’s protest wave—sparked by intensifying cost-of-living pressures and the rial’s sharp depreciation—has entered a seventh consecutive day, spreading across dozens of cities and provinces. What began as economically driven demonstrations is increasingly blending into broader political dissent, with anti-regime slogans and demands for systemic change appearing alongside calls focused on prices, jobs, and household purchasing power.
2026/01/03Graham Warns Iran After Venezuela Operation, Says Leaders Should Be “Very Worried”
In remarks reported by Axios journalist Barak Ravid, Sen. Lindsey Graham said he spoke with President Donald Trump and described the Venezuela operation as something “formulating for the last couple of weeks,” adding that the leaders of Cuba and Iran “should be very worried” in light of the U.S. action. The comments land amid fast-moving regional tensions: Trump has publicly claimed U.S. strikes are underway in Venezuela and that Nicolás Maduro and his wife were captured, triggering sharp international condemnation and warnings about sovereignty and escalation.
2026/01/03Germany Voices “Deep Concern” Over Potential Serious Rights Violations in Iran, Urges Restraint
A German Foreign Office spokesperson told Iran International that Berlin is closely reviewing reports of violent treatment of protesters by Iran’s security forces and has “deep concern” about any serious human-rights violations. The spokesperson said Germany expects Iran to uphold its international human-rights obligations, refrain from violence against protesters, and respect fundamental rights—adding that Berlin has long backed international accountability efforts, including support for the UN Human Rights Council’s Iran fact-finding mission and the UN Special Rapporteur, alongside EU sanctions targeting individuals tied to repression.
2026/01/03Khamenei Draws Red Line Between “Protest” and “Riot,” Vows Tough Line on “Rioters”
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei described public اعتراض as “justified” but said it is different from what he called “rioting,” adding: “We will speak with the protesters, but talking to rioters is useless… rioters should be put in their place.” The remarks signal a harder official framing as unrest continues, seeking to separate economic grievances from street mobilization that authorities portray as security threats.
2026/01/03Iran Footballer Zobeir Niknafs Backs Protests, Shares “Cancer of the Homeland” Verse
Zobeir Niknafs—former Esteghlal player and current Fajr Sepasi midfielder—voiced support for Iran’s nationwide protests by posting a well-known poem by Mojtaba Kashani that frames the country’s crisis as a “cancer of the homeland.” Niknafs has previously signaled solidarity with street protests as well, including a symbolic head-shaving gesture during the 2022 “Woman, Life, Freedom” uprising after Mahsa Amini’s death.
2026/01/03Teachers’ Trade Associations Back Protests, Urge Security Forces Not to Use Excessive Force
Iran’s Coordinating Council of Teachers’ Trade Associations issued a statement supporting nationwide protests, calling them the “voice of a مردمِ زندگیخواه” who “have nothing left to lose but the chains” tied to their livelihoods, dignity, and future. Addressing military, law-enforcement, and security forces, the council said they “come from the same society” and warned that standing against citizens means standing against their own future—urging them to avoid “staining their hands with the people’s blood.”
2026/01/03Mirsalim Warns Against “Interference,” Says It Would Endanger U.S. Bases in Region
Mustafa Mirsalim, a member of Iran’s Expediency Discernment Council, said any “intervention” in Iran’s internal affairs would undermine regional peace and stability and, he argued, would particularly put U.S. forces and military bases in the region at risk. In the same remarks—framed as a response to Washington’s rhetoric—he said Donald Trump should “prepare to pay retribution” for the death of Qasem Soleimani and accept responsibility for commanding the “12-day war,” and claimed Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should await trial as a war criminal, adding that such “provocations” may impose costs on Iran but “won’t get America to its goal.”
2026/01/03Khamenei Office Official: Iranians May Protest, but “Unite Against Foreigners” After Trump Warning
Rasoul Sanaeirad, an ideological deputy in the Office of Iran’s Supreme Leader, said Iranians may have grievances, but will become “foreign-hostile” and unify when “a foreigner enters the میدان,” framing President Donald Trump’s intervention warning as a strategic mistake that could expose alleged “internal proxies.” His comments follow Trump’s Truth Social post threatening U.S. action if Iranian authorities use lethal force against peaceful protesters.
2026/01/03Security Forces Fire Directly at Protesters in Farsan
A video shared on social media purports to show security forces in Farsan (Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari) firing directly toward protesters on the night of Friday, 12 Dey (Jan 2) . The outlet framed the footage as received reporting; independent real-time verification of the full context and exact sequence remains limited.
English
پارسی