Iran’s security council reviews risk of new protest wave

Iran’s Supreme National Security Council has held a meeting amid growing concerns within the country’s leadership over a possible resurgence of protests in the coming days, Iran International reports.

According to the outlet, security officials presented a “grim picture” of the country’s economic situation and concluded that the worsening crisis could become a key driver of a new wave of protest activity.

Building on the latest unrest dynamics in Iran, the most recent major protest wave emerged in late December 2025 and continued into early 2026, driven primarily by a sharp economic collapse, currency devaluation, and rapidly rising living costs. 

The demonstrations initially began with shopkeepers in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar and quickly spread to multiple cities, reflecting broad-based socio-economic frustration.

As the movement expanded, it evolved beyond purely economic grievances into wider anti-government sentiment, with strikes, street rallies, and clashes reported across several provinces.

Authorities responded with mass arrests and tight security measures, including internet restrictions during peak unrest periods.

Before the situation escalated further into heightened Iran–US tensions and the broader conflict environment in February 2026, analysts described this wave as the largest nationwide unrest since the 2022–2023 protests, highlighting deep structural economic pressure as the main trigger.

By Jeyhun Aghazada