What is happening on Iran’s streets
People across Iran have flooded the streets in cities like Tehran, Tajrish, and Meydan Ghods in numbers that are hard to ignore. Videos from the ground show massive crowds chanting and marching into the night. The old theocratic order has faced protests before and used brutal force. This time the demonstrations feel different because of the scale and the energy. Security forces are reported to have used tear gas, live fire, and raids on hospitals, while some officers may be hesitating or even supporting protesters. If those reports are right, that is the kind of crack that can turn steady unrest into a tipping point.
Why the crowds feel like a turning point
For years Iranians suffered under religious rule, harsh economic pain, and extreme repression. Protesters who spoke up were punished or worse. Now the protesters are waving old national flags and symbols that the regime fears. The Lion and Sun flag has reappeared in public squares. That kind of symbolism matters. It tells you these people do not just want reforms. Many want the end of a regime that has ruled by fear and violence. When symbols, numbers, and courage align, regimes can lose more than control of streets. They can lose legitimacy.
President Trump’s statements and their impact
President Trump has been vocal on social media and in public messages, warning Iran not to shoot peaceful demonstrators and saying the United States would step in to help if the regime used deadly force. Those warnings were echoed by the U.S. State Department accounts in Persian. Words alone do not stop bullets, but when a leader speaks clearly and the free world shows solidarity, it gives protesters a sense that the world is watching. That can protect lives and embolden people who would otherwise be too afraid to act.
The free world has come to the aid of Iran’s people. Now, nothing can save the mullahs’ regime. https://t.co/ClLsVctBIC
— Gordon G. Chang (@GordonGChang) January 10, 2026
🚨🇮🇷 Tehran tonight looks unreal. Every clip from every street shows crowds so massive that you cannot see where they begin or end. Reports highlight huge turnouts in Tajrish and Meydan Ghods as the night unfolds.
pic.twitter.com/qdIbuRLDAY— WAR (@warsurveillance) January 9, 2026
Iran’s people are burning down the theocratic regime. https://t.co/p6a1jvlJJE
— Gordon G. Chang (@GordonGChang) January 9, 2026
A hero in Hamedan creates an unforgettable scene, raising the Lion and Sun flag.
This is our true national flag.
The one that terrifies the regime.It is a declaration of war against the Islamic Republic.
When the Lion and Sun rises, tyrannies fall.pic.twitter.com/jQOdr00Hio— ثنا ابراهیمی | Sana Ebrahimi (@__Injaneb96) January 9, 2026
The U.S. State Department's account in Persian echoes (and translates into Persian) President Trump's threat pic.twitter.com/S0vbOgLNeK
— Middle East Monitor (@MEMonitorX) January 2, 2026
NOW: U.S. State Dept in Persian just posted:
“President Trump is a man of action.
If you didn’t know, now you know.” pic.twitter.com/WqZOnRzf8P
— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) January 4, 2026
Security forces (police, Basij, IRGC) have used live fire, tear gas, and hospital raids. There have also been reports of officers waving/supporting protesters or refusing orders. This suggests potential cracks, though unconfirmed widespread defections.
Supreme Leader Khamenei… pic.twitter.com/LU0fAe7Y9R
— Shannon (@Pr0b4blyB4k3d) January 9, 2026
.@POTUS: "Iran's in big trouble. It looks to me that the people are taking over certain cities that nobody thought were really possible… We're watching… I made the statement very strongly that if they start killing people like they have in the past, we will get involved." pic.twitter.com/99HtskvGPf
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) January 9, 2026
The role of the free world right now
Commentators and exiled leaders have thanked U.S. statements, and foreign voices are amplifying the protesters message inside Iran through Persian language posts. That is not just talk. It matters because authoritarian regimes depend on isolation and controlling information. When the outside world broadcasts support and shows images of huge crowds, it weakens the dictator’s story that everyone supports the government. It also increases pressure on security forces to think twice about cracking down, for fear of international consequences.
What could go wrong and what to watch
Nothing about revolutions is neat or predictable. The risks are serious. The regime could escalate violence, sacrifice local order to cling to power, or manipulate events to justify a crackdown. Foreign entanglements are risky too. Promises of outside support can backfire if they raise expectations that cannot be met. Still, the combination of mass protests, symbolic defiance, and international pressure creates a dangerous moment for the regime. If security forces keep fracturing, the mullahs may find themselves in a fight they cannot win.
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