Day Fifteen Of Irans Nationwide Protests Sharp Rise In Human Casualties
HRanaJAN 13
Human Rights Agency: Over 500 Reportedly Dead in Iran's Continuing Protests
Is Iran facing a legitimate uprising against dictatorship, or are foreign powers exploiting economic woes to create chaos?
Above: Iranians spray slogans reading "Long live the Shah" and "Reza Shah" on the entrance and walls of the Consulate General of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Hamburg, Germany, on Jan. 11. Image credit: Ashkan Shabani/NurPhoto/Getty Images
The Spin
Anti-Iran narrative
Iran's regime has completely lost legitimacy through brutal crackdowns, killing hundreds of protesters and shutting down internet access to hide the violence. The succession of uprisings sparked by economic collapse, currency devaluation and soaring inflation proves citizens have stopped expecting anything from rigged elections and now radically reject Supreme Leader Khamenei's 37-year dictatorship propped up by the Revolutionary Guard.
Pro-Iran narrative
Iran acknowledges protests as valid expressions of economic grievances and engages daily with business leaders to address concerns through dialogue. However, foreign-trained terrorists backed by the U.S. and Israel are exploiting economic hardships to incite violence — burning mosques, killing citizens, and desecrating religious symbols — following their failure to destabilize Iran during the June 2025 conflict. Trump must know that history shows tyrants like Pharaoh and Nimrod were overthrown in Iran's deep history.
Metaculus Prediction
There is a 55% chance Ali Khamenei will cease to be Supreme Leader of Iran before 2027, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Public Figures
The Controversies
Establishment split
CRITICAL
PRO
© 2026 Improve the News Foundation. All rights reserved.Version 6.18.0
© 2026 Improve the News Foundation.
All rights reserved.
Version 6.18.0