Iranians holding mass anti-government protest in major street of Tehran

Protesters in Tehran massed on a key avenue in the northwest of the Iranian capital on Thursday in a major protest that is part of a nationwide movement sparked by anger over the cost of living, according to images on social media verified by AFP.

Crowds of people, as well as vehicles honking in support, filled a part of the vast Ayatollah Kashani Boulevard, images from Tehran showed, as Persian language TV channels based outside Iran and other social media outlets posted images of significant protests in other cities, including Tabriz in the north and the holy city of Mashhad in the east.

Incredible footage coming in from protest against Khamanei and Islamic Republic regime in Tehran this very hour. pic.twitter.com/zPeii5vFj1

— Bahman Kalbasi (@BahmanKalbasi) January 8, 2026