The editorial board of The Wall Street Journal, a major US daily newspaper, wrote in an article that contrary to the predictions of many experts who believed a military attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities would lead to public solidarity with the ruling authorities, recent developments have shown a different trajectory.
The article, published on the evening of Wednesday, December 31, states that only a few months after Israeli and US attacks during the 12-day war, various cities across Iran have witnessed street protests by citizens.
The protests began among shopkeepers and merchants at Tehran’s Grand Bazaar but gradually spread to other cities and social groups. Students have joined the protests, and truck and bus drivers have also expressed support.
Economic demands are at the forefront of public discontent, including 42% inflation, a 40% decline in the value of the national currency against the dollar since the 12-day war, water shortages, and the lack of stable access to energy.
Anti-government protests in Iran entered their fifth consecutive day on Thursday, January 1, 2026. In recent days, protesters have chanted slogans including “Death to the dictator,” calling for the overthrow of the Islamic Republic.
The president of Iran’s regime called for dialogue with protesters
Later in the article, The Wall Street Journal refers to protesters’ chants of “Death to the dictator” and “Neither Gaza nor Lebanon, I sacrifice my life for Iran,” noting that economic protests can easily take on a political nature. As a result, the recent unrest is dangerous for the Iranian regime because deprivation exists on a broad scale.
To curb inflation, the Iranian regime removed the head of the Central Bank as the “culprit” for the current economic situation, and Masoud Pezeshkian, the president of Iran’s regime, made the unusual proposal of calling for dialogue with protesters.
Trump should not be tempted by the mirage of an agreement with Iran
The editorial board of The Wall Street Journal wrote that as the scope of the protests has expanded, the regime’s repressive approach has once again intensified, with reports of a new wave of arrests and even live ammunition being used. If the protests become more widespread, there is a likelihood of increased repression.
Referring to the increase in arrests and executions of citizens after the 12-day war, the newspaper added that this level of repression makes the continuation of the recent protests more striking and significant.
The article states that all these developments provide an important opportunity for the United States to show its support for the people of Iran. Barack Obama made a mistake in 2009 when, due to his desire to reach a nuclear agreement with the ayatollahs, he remained silent in the face of the repression of protesters.
The Wall Street Journal warned Donald Trump against being tempted by the mirage of an agreement with Tehran, writing that if the Islamic Republic truly wanted a deal, it could have returned to the negotiating table after the war.
Meanwhile, the Iranian regime continues to insist on enriching uranium on Iranian soil and is rapidly rebuilding its ballistic missile capabilities, which have the ability to target Israel or US bases.
According to the article, the most important action the United States can take under current conditions is the “continuation of economic pressure on the regime,” which would require enforcing oil sanctions with a seriousness at least equal to half of the measures recently applied by the United States against Venezuela.
The Iranian regime has been able to partially circumvent sanctions, to the extent that its oil exports have reached new records and risen to about two million barrels per day—a figure considered 20 times Washington’s stated target and one that effectively undermines Trump’s maximum pressure campaign.
None of these developments necessarily means the immediate collapse of the government, although dictatorships often appear stable until the very end. The ayatollah relies on oil revenues to maintain the loyalty of commanders and to direct the weapons of the forces toward their own people. However, Western policy toward Iran, aimed at reaching a deal at any cost, has made the Iranian regime more reckless than ever in repressing protesters. Ultimately, what will bring about the overthrow of this government will not be a foreign war, but popular force.
