Iran’s 2025–26 Protest Wave and the Crisis of Governance

In this paper, we discuss:

• Iran’s protests shifting from economic grievances to a systemic political challenge to the regime;
• Unrest spreading nationwide, including bazaar strikes that strain state finances;
• A severe security crackdown, with internet shutdowns, mass arrests, and lethal force;
• Why regime collapse remains unlikely in the near term, pointing instead to prolonged instability.

Download PDF: Iran – GSA – January 2026