Understanding Iran’s Protests: Is the Regime Finished?

Think for yourself. Subscribe to The Free Press today

As protests sweep Iran amid economic collapse and a plunging currency, Iranian American journalist Roya Hakakian argues that this uprising may mark a decisive break with the Islamic Republic. Unlike past protest waves—from the 2009 Green Movement to the 2022 “Woman, Life, Freedom” demonstrations—this moment is defined by a broad coalition that includes women, youth, ethnic minorities, working-class Iranians, and even longtime regime supporters such as bazaar merchants, all openly rejecting the system rather than seeking reform within it.

Hakakian explains that the regime’s loss of legitimacy has been accelerated by its failure to provide basic security, exposed during Iran’s humiliating confrontation with Israel, and by growing international pressure, including warnings from the United States. As the government responds with internet blackouts and threats of extreme violence, many Iranians believe there is no turning back—raising the stakes for what could be the most consequential challenge to the regime in its 45-year history.