WEEKLY UPDATE - 01.02.2026

Protests Spread in Iran Amidst Economic Troubles

Anti-government protests in Iran entered a sixth day on Friday as Iranians continued to express dissatisfaction with the country’s most recent economic woes. On Sunday the collapsing value of Iranian currency, the rial, sparked protests in Tehran that rapidly spread across the country. Economic sanctions related to the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program and mismanagement of the economy continue to plague the country. Iranian security forces responded to some of the protests with violence killing seven people and injured another 17.

The current protests, which have been dominated by younger Iranians, represent the widespread discontent with the status quo in Iran. Protesters have been documented chanting slogans such as “death to the dictator” and “Long live the Shah.” Speaking on the recent protests Holly Dagres, an Iran analyst at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, said “While these protests have a different trigger than the 2022 ‘Women, Life, Freedom uprising . . . the core grievances remain the same same: systemic mismanagement, corruption, and repression . . . as long as the Islamic Republic of Iran remains in power, their problems cannot be solved.

US President Trump posted on social media threatening to intervene if Iranian security forces kill peaceful protesters. Ali Larijani, the Iranian Secretary for its National Security Council, warned Trump against interfering in Iran’s internal politics saying that the US should “be mindful of its soldiers’ safety.” Earlier in the week, President Trump took a hawkish stance toward Iran during a meeting with Israeli PM expressing support for potential Israeli strikes against Iran’s ballistic missile program.

Around the Region

• North Africa:

  • Last week, a private jet carrying Libya’ military chief and four officers crashed shortly after take-off from Ankara, Turkey. The Libyan delegation was in Turkey for high-level talks with their counterparts. The UK said that it would examine the plane’s black box in an effort to determine the cause of the crash.

• The Gulf:

  • On Tuesday, the Saudi-led coalition carried out an airstrike on an Emirati shipment bound for the Yemeni separatist movement, the STC prompting the UAE to pull troops from Yemen. On Friday, the STC accused Saudi Arabia of bombing its forces near the Yemen-Saudi border. According to Al Jazeera, the strikes killed seven people and wounded another 20. A Yemeni government official said that the strikes were meant to be precautionary as the government seeks to take back military bases taken by the STC in recent weeks.

  • The Iraqi government announced that it would assume control of the Ain al-Asad military base next week as the US and other members of the anti-ISIS coalition prepare to withdraw.

• The Levant:

  • Civil unrest and political violence spread in the Syrian province of Latakia after the bombing of an Alawite place of worship. On Tuesday, the Syrian government placed the city of Latakia under curfew and arrested 21 people allegedly linked to Bashar al-Assad after clashes between Alawites and government security personnel resulted in the deaths four people and more than 100 injuries. On Wednesday, a suicide bomber killed a Syrian police officer in the city of Aleppo after the police attempted to detain the attacker.

  • The Israeli government recognized Somaliland’s independence from Somalia becoming the first country to recognize Somaliland as a sovereign state. Rumors quickly spread that Somaliland agreed to accept the resettlement of Palestinians within its borders in exchange for recognition prompting Somaliland officials to deny the rumors. The Israeli government also moved to ban several NGOs that work with Palestinians including Doctors without Borders.

Recommended:

• “How Israeli covert activities in Syria seek to thwart its new government” Washington Post

• “Mohammed Ibrahim’s Stolen Year” Infinite Jaz

• “The Course of Empire Reimagined in Middle Eastern Graffiti” New Lines Magazine