Iran’s Protest Movement Gains Global Momentum

Mass demonstrations at home and abroad challenge the regime, as diaspora rallies and international scrutiny amplify calls for change. 

Mass demonstrations that began in late December 2025 over economic hardship and political repression have escalated into one of the largest uprisings in decades, spreading across hundreds of cities. 

Thousands were reported killed during the January crackdown, but protests continue both inside Iran and among diaspora communities abroad. 

Large rallies have taken place in cities like Sydney and Munich, where demonstrators call for regime change and highlight victims of the crackdown. Internationally, the unrest overlaps with renewed tensions between Iran and the U.S., as Washington presses Tehran on its missile program and nuclear enrichment. 

Protesters inside and outside Iran are demanding the overthrow of the Islamic Republic, with some rallying behind exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi as a symbolic figure.

The protests have become both a domestic uprising and a global movement, intensifying pressure on Iran’s leadership while drawing international attention.

Congress passes $1.2 trillion package, but DHS remains unresolved, raising fears of another lapse. 

The U.S. Congress has passed a $1.2 trillion spending package to end the government shutdown and reopen federal agencies. 

However, funding for the Department of Homeland Security was excluded, leaving uncertainty over its operations and sparking concerns about another potential lapse in the near future. 

President Donald Trump’s nominee for a top State Department post is also facing bipartisan opposition, adding to political tensions.