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Iran Protests – January 2026
As Iran’s nationwide uprising entered its 23rd day on Monday, the chasm between the ruling clerical dictatorship and the Iranian people widened significantly. While rebellious youths engaged in what officials are now calling “urban warfare,” the regime found itself increasingly isolated on the world stage, culminating in a rare diplomatic snub from the World Economic Forum in Davos.
Parliament Speaker Confesses to “Massacre”
In a session of the regime’s parliament on Monday, January 19, Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf offered a stark admission regarding the scale of the violence gripping the country. Addressing the legislature, Ghalibaf explicitly acknowledged that “urban warfare, armed attacks, and the killing of several thousand people” had occurred over the preceding Thursday and Friday.
While admitting to the high death toll—a figure the regime usually suppresses—Ghalibaf attempted to externalize the blame. Avoiding any mention of the economic collapse or political repression driving the unrest, he attributed the uprising to foreign intervention, specifically accusing the United States President of “igniting this sedition.” Ghalibaf claimed the U.S. had issued orders for “killing fabrication” and invited “rioters” to remain on the streets.
We are releasing the names of six PMOI Resistance Units killed by the mullahs’ regime during the nationwide uprising. These were young freedom fighters who wanted nothing other than freedom for their country.#IranProtests #IranRevolutionpic.twitter.com/6GseocmARn
— People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) January 16, 2026
In an effort to rally the regime’s demoralized base, the Speaker lavished praise on Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, calling him the “soul of the Iranian nation” and the “voice of the oppressed,” despite chants of “Death to Khamenei” and “Khamenei will be overthrown” being among the most popular slogans during the nationwide uprisings. However, his confirmation of thousands of deaths and injuries to Basij and police forces underscores the severity of the challenge the establishment currently faces.
Intense Clashes in Tehran, Khoy, and Kermanshah
Despite the regime’s acknowledgment of mass casualties, the crackdown has failed to quell the protests. Reports from Saturday and Sunday, January 17 and 18, detail intense confrontations in the capital and peripheral provinces.
In Tehran, areas such as Valiasr Street, Saadat Abad, Tehranpars, and Ekbatan Town saw protesters chanting “Death to the dictator” and “Death to Khamenei.” In a significant escalation in Khoy, northwest Iran, rebellious youths responded to indiscriminate shooting by security forces by setting fire to the district governor’s building and a center belonging to the paramilitary Basij force. Protesters there were heard chanting, “I will kill the one who killed my brother.”
Resistance has taken on a defensive, armed dimension in some regions. In Eslamshahr, youths stormed the Ghaemiyeh police station, disarming mercenaries who had been firing on civilians. Similarly, in the village of ‘Aineh-vand’ in Sarpol-e Zahab (Kermanshah province), locals from the Qalkhani tribe broke a regime siege, repelling agents sent to arrest wounded protesters. During clashes in Kermanshah city, a Basij agent was killed.
A Legacy of Resistance: The Death of Abbasali Ramezani
The human cost of the uprising was highlighted by the murder of 74-year-old Abbasali Ramezani in Mashhad. A veteran member of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK), Ramezani was shot by regime forces on Vakilabad Boulevard.
🚨 Iran Protests Update — Video of @Mojahedineng Martyr Abbasali Ramazani (Ramezani)
“For the uprising and the regime’s overthrow, I am ready till the end.”
These are the words of Abbasali Ramazani, spoken before he was killed by regime fire—now a martyr of Iran’s nationwide… https://t.co/ugBlxazaaG pic.twitter.com/3Wi1Wo8rMW
— SIMAY AZADI TV (@en_simayazadi) January 18, 2026
Ramezani had spent decades in and out of the regime’s prisons for his political activities, dating back to the 1980s. He endured 222 days of solitary confinement in 2011 and was most recently sentenced to over three years in prison in 2023 for documenting election boycotts. Released conditionally in July 2024 due to heart disease, he immediately returned to street activism. A video clip recorded before his death captured his resolve: “Ready, ready, ready—for the uprising and overthrow.”
Simultaneously, reports from Karaj indicate that the regime is targeting those trying to save lives; security forces have arrested medical staff for treating wounded protesters, further militarizing the city’s streets.
Digital Blackout and Diplomatic Isolation
The crackdown on the ground is matched by a digital siege. NetBlocks confirmed on Monday that Iran’s internet blackout has spanned twelve days, with national connectivity remaining minimal. Metrics suggest the regime is testing a “heavily filtered intranet” to permanently cut Iranians off from the global web.
The Iranian Foreign Minister will not be attending Davos.
Although he was invited last fall, the tragic loss of lives of civilians in Iran over the past few weeks means that it is not right for the Iranian government to be represented at Davos this year. pic.twitter.com/NRjbqAoqe9
— World Economic Forum (@wef) January 19, 2026
Despite this information blockade, the international community is reacting. In a major diplomatic blow to Tehran, the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos rescinded its invitation to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. WEF organizers stated that “the tragic loss of lives of civilians” meant it was “not right” for the Iranian government to be represented.
Furthermore, the European People’s Party (EPP) Group in the European Parliament strongly condemned the violence, expressing “full solidarity” with the Iranian people. Concurrently, over 300 lawmakers from 26 countries issued a statement supporting a democratic republic and the right of Resistance Units to defend themselves against suppression.
Inside Iran, the sentiment remains defiant. A message sent from Shahrekord sums up the national mood: “One cannot study nor think about the future… the situation has reached a point of no return.”