The core issue gripping Iran today is the surprising and widespread surge of youth-led protests fueled by a desire for freedom and social change—yet many young Iranians, despite never having experienced the revolution that established the Islamic regime in 1979, feel a deep nostalgia for a bygone era. But here’s where it gets controversial: this yearning for an earlier, seemingly freer time isn't necessarily rooted in direct memory, but rather in a collective longing for social and personal liberties that seem increasingly out of reach.
For over two weeks, new names and faces have joined the growing list of Iranians who have lost their lives fighting for change. Despite the regime’s efforts to censor and block the internet, human rights activists have managed to piece together heartbreaking evidence—photos, videos, and eyewitness testimonies—that confirm the brutal extent of the crackdown. This evidence, though limited, reveals a disturbing trend: the number of young Iranians who have been shot dead by security forces continues to grow nearly every day.
Among those documented are a 17-year-old football prospect and two female university students aged 19 and 21 from Tehran University—tragic symbols of a future interrupted. A Kurdish man aged 22 was also among the victims; shockingly, his family was told they would need to pay over $35,000 to retrieve his body. Other victims include a 39-year-old former bodybuilder and a 40-year-old mother of two, both deliberately targeted during fierce confrontations.
The protests in Iran, spanning diverse segments of society, are sustained and increasingly energetic, powered significantly by the younger generation. Most Iranians today have no living memory of the 1979 revolution or the monarchy’s fall; they were born long after the Islamic regime was established. Their hopes and ambitions are constrained by a faltering economy crippled under global sanctions, a regime that prioritizes its survival over reform, and a government that suppresses dissent.
Gissou Nia, a human rights lawyer from the U.S. specializing in Iranian issues, explains that younger Iranians—who are highly connected online—are especially aware of the world’s freedoms, which starkly contrast with their reality. Many struggle with unemployment, hyperinflation, and a collapsing currency, making it nearly impossible to envision a stable future.
During recent protests, many have invoked the name of Reza Pahlavi, the exiled Crown Prince and son of the last Shah, signaling a nostalgic desire for a different Iran—one with more social liberties and economic possibilities. Nia suggests that this movement is a wholesale rejection of the current system.
Experts like Dan Diker from the Jerusalem Center concur, warning that Iran might be approaching a critical breaking point. Increasing internal dissent and fractures within the political and security establishments could eventually catalyze significant change, but that moment remains elusive.
While the unrest has simmered for years, it was only in late 2025 that broader global audiences truly took notice—initially through sparse social media videos of protests in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar. But this upheaval is the culmination of longstanding resentment over corruption, mismanagement, and environmental crises—including deadly pollution and water shortages so severe that Iran’s president even floated evacuating Tehran.
Underlying all this unrest is a deep-seated frustration with decades of oppressive social policies—exemplified by protests like the Women, Life, Freedom movement sparked in 2022 by the death of Mahsa Amini at the hands of morality police. These issues resonate with a generation that has only ever known the Islamic Republic’s repression, making the aspirations for greater freedoms even more poignant.
Kylie Moore-Gilbert, an Australian academic who spent more than two years imprisoned in Iran, remarks that the current wave of protests signals a regime under siege. She notes young Iranians are increasingly rejecting the religious ideology that has defined their country's political landscape since 1979, evidenced by the rise in street protests over the past decade.
The violence used by regime security forces has been relentless. Medical professionals report that many victims are shot intentionally in the head or eyes—acts that suggest deliberate targeting of protesters. Hospitals are overwhelmed, treating hundreds of severe injuries while security agents infiltrate medical facilities, arresting wounded protesters and even firing tear gas inside hospitals.
Since the government shut down much of Iran’s internet, information from the ground is limited, but the situation appears dire. Medical experts describe hospitals resembling war zones, with injured people unable to communicate with colleagues because of communication blackouts and dangerous conditions.
Internationally, Iran’s government has attempted to diminish the protests by accusing foreign actors, mainly the U.S. and Israel, of orchestrating unrest. Official narratives claim that protesters are planted by foreign governments and that violence is externally incited. These claims echo Iran’s history of blaming external enemies to justify internal repression—an approach dating back to 1979, when the regime accused Israel and the U.S. of being the ‘Big Satan’ and ‘Little Satan,’ respectively.
While foreign support—particularly from the U.S. and Israel—could theoretically benefit Iran’s opponents, critics argue that such narratives are straightforward propaganda tools that do little to address the root causes: economic hardship, political repression, and social injustice.
Despite the regime’s resilience, many analysts see cracks forming. Support for the Pahlavi dynasty remains strong among protesters, driven by images of a more liberalized past posted online. But political change is complex and unlikely to happen overnight. The current regime's cohesion, especially within the security forces and military, remains intact. Experts warn that unless internal divisions emerge—such as generals or political elites defecting—the regime's monopoly on violence will continue to suppress the uprising.
In conclusion, the situation in Iran is tense and volatile, with a young population longing for freedom while facing brutal repression. The question remains: will internal fractures weaken the regime enough to allow genuine change, or will persistent suppression sustain the status quo? Would you agree that the regime's core support remains too strong for meaningful reform to happen anytime soon? Or do you see signs of an impending breakthrough? Share your thoughts in the comments.
