How many unrest has Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei survived? Can he quell the protests this time?
Iran faces its biggest protests in years with growing calls to overthrow Ayatollah Khamenei. From 1999 student protests to the Green Movement, Bloody Aban, and Mahsa Amini-led unrest, repeated uprisings have challenged the regime, which again survived US-Israel strikes in 2025
Iran protest, US intervention and calls for 'regime change'
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei is facing a massive protest in years with calls of regime change growing stronger in the country. The US has threatened to strike the country of protesters are killed by the regime. Meanwhile, Iran's exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi has hinted at homecoming and said that time is up for the end of ‘terror regime.’ However, Khamenei has survived many protests in Iran. Here's a look
1999 Student Protests
The first protest against Khamenei broke out in 1999. IT was triggered by the closure of a reformist newspaper Salam, and a violent raid on a Tehran University dormitory. The demonstrations rapidly evolved into a nationwide uprising against the Supreme Leader.
2009 Green Movement
The next major uprising happened in 2009 known as Green Movement. It was massive socio-political uprising, sparked by allegations of widespread fraud in the presidential election held on June 12, 2009. It represented the most significant challenge to regime since the 1979 Revolution
2017–2018 Economic Protests
The 2017–2018 economic protests, also called the Dey protests in Iran, were a series of nationwide anti-government demonstrations that began in late December 2017. It quickly evolved into a broad challenge to the legitimacy of the entire clerical establishment
2019 Bloody Aban Protests
The 2019 Bloody Aban protests were a wave of nationwide anti-government demonstrations in Iran, widely considered the most violent and severe unrest since the 1979 Revolution. It was sparked by an abrupt 50 per cent – 200 per cent increase in fuel prices.
2022–2023 "Woman, Life, Freedom" Movement
The 2022–2023 ‘Woman, Life, Freedom’ movement refers to nationwide uprising in Iran that represents the most significant challenge to the Islamic Republic's clerical leadership since its inception in 1979. 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, an Iranian-Kurdish woman, was arrested in Tehran by the morality police. It led to Gen Z protest against Khamenei and regime
2025 US strikes on Iranian nuclear site and war with Israel
In June 2025, Israel launched Operation Rising Lion, a series of unilateral airstrikes targeting Iran's nuclear infrastructure. Trump ordered direct US intervention, and targeted Iranian nuclear sites. Khamenei survived the US and Israel's intervention.
Can he quell the protests this time?
Despite massive pressure from the US on leadership change, a pro-government rally was held in Tehran last week, with Khamenei sharing pictures and videos of the massive rally on X profile. It sent signals around the world that Khamenei's leadership is not as weak as it looks from the anti-government rallies, covered extensively by Western media. In what was surely a show of strength, Khamenei sent a message to the US that many will back the regime if the US attacks
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