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Iranian authorities have detained a number of key figures involved in protests that have swept the country over the past two weeks, warning that those responsible will face punishment, according to Barron’s.
National Police Chief Ahmad-Reza Radan said that “significant arrests” of leading participants in the unrest were carried out overnight. He did not disclose how many people were detained or provide further details, noting only that those arrested would be punished following legal procedures.
The protests erupted in late December 2025 amid a sharp fall in Iran’s national currency and a deepening economic crisis. They initially began in Tehran, where merchants at the central bazaar protested against the currency collapse, before spreading to other cities and drawing in students and broader segments of society.
Authorities responded with a harsh crackdown, including mass arrests and the use of force. According to the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), at least 116 people have been killed during the suppression of the protests.
