Protesters gather as vehicles burn, amid evolving anti-government unrest, in Tehran, Iran, in this screen grab obtained from a social media video. An Israeli military official said the protests were an internal Iranian matter, but Israel's military was monitoring developments and was ready to respond "with power if need be". Israel and Iran fought a 12-day war in June last year, which the United States briefly joined by attacking key nuclear installations. Alan Eyre, a former US diplomat and Iran expert, thought it unlikely the protests would topple the establishment. Iranian state TV broadcast funeral processions in western cities such as Gachsaran and Yasuj for security personnel killed in protests.

Source: Otago Daily Times January 11, 2026 19:35 UTC