Iran internal crisis (2025–present)

Following the 2025 Twelve-Day War, a domestic crisis began in Iran. The period is characterized by domestic unrest, political instability and economic decline within the country, to which the government of Iran responded with government crackdowns, mass arrests and militarization in an effort to maintain control.

As a result of the Twelve-Day War, internal tension within the Islamic Republic worsened into what the National Council of Resistance of Iran calls a "crisis of legitimacy". Various reports highlighted the government's weaknesses in security and management ability, and has chosen to engage in internal disputes rather than promote unity or initiate reforms to avoid accountability. Amnesty International's Karg observes that, in response to growing international isolation, the government is tightening domestic control through intensified repression and likely a rise in executions. In addition, the war's aftermath has pushed Iran's already struggling economy into an even more unstable and vulnerable state.

In late 2025, mass protests erupted across Iran, driven by public anger over the deepening economic crisis. Initially led by bazaar merchants and shopkeepers in Tehran, the demonstrations quickly expanded beyond economic demands to include chants of anti-government slogans such as "Death to the Dictator".