He warned that Iran would not tolerate what he described as mercenaries serving foreign powers. Protests wrack IranThursday marked the biggest surge in protests so far, with mass demonstrations continuing into Friday across major cities and rural towns. Markets and bazaars shut in support of the protesters, while clashes with security forces led to widespread violence. Inside Iran, views on foreign intervention remain divided. Amid the unrest, a new symbol of defiance has spread online, with videos showing Iranian women using burning photographs of Supreme Leader Khamenei to light cigarettes.

Source: The Telegraph January 09, 2026 11:05 UTC