Iran's President Said to have Resigned; Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, 86, is Claimed to Have Been Killed

Tehran, Iran - January 9, 2026 - Nationwide anti-government demonstrations in Iran reached their 13th consecutive day on Friday, with massive crowds taking to the streets in Tehran and dozens of other cities despite a near-total internet blackout imposed by authorities. The protests, initially sparked by severe economic hardship and the collapse of the Iranian rial, have evolved into widespread calls for the overthrow of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the end of the Islamic Republic.

"My own contact in Tehran could barely reach me for a few seconds. He said exactly: "Western Tehran is twice as crowded as last night. The IRGC doesn't dare to shoot. We're not afraid. Get our voices out to the world." @hesamaryia 01.10.26

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Human rights groups report at least 45–51 protesters killed since the unrest began on December 28, 2025, including several children, with more than 2,000 arrests. Security forces have responded with tear gas, live ammunition, and mass detentions, while the government has accused the United States and Israel of orchestrating the demonstrations.

Social media has been flooded with powerful images and videos of defiance. In one widely circulated clip from snowy nighttime conditions, a young woman boldly sets fire to a portrait of Supreme Leader Khamenei against the backdrop of the Iranian flag. She then uses the flames to light a cigarette - a striking symbolic rejection of the regime's religious and moral mandates, particularly around women's dress and behavior.

Together with the cigarette lighting woman, this image of protestors waving the Iranian monarchy flag has become the iconic image of the Iranian revolution.

These acts echo the creative resistance seen in previous waves of protests, but the current movement has gained unprecedented coordination, including a nationwide call by exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi for synchronized demonstrations at specific times.

Online, unverified rumors have spread rapidly - including claims that President Masoud Pezeshkian has resigned and that Supreme Leader Khamenei has been "eliminated." While no credible sources have confirmed these reports, the speculation reflects deep frustration with the leadership. Pezeshkian's government has faced internal erosion, with multiple senior aides and officials resigning in recent weeks amid criticism of its inability to address the economic crisis or restrain hardline security forces.

President Pezeshkian has acknowledged public grievances, urging security forces not to harm peaceful protesters, but his administration lacks control over key paramilitary groups like the Basij, which answer directly to Khamenei. In a speech on January 9, Khamenei doubled down, framing the unrest as a foreign plot and refusing major concessions.Analysts describe the situation as a deepening legitimacy crisis for the clerical establishment. While the protests have not yet reached the scale of the 2022–2023 Mahsa Amini uprising in terms of sustained duration, their rapid spread to all 31 provinces and the regime's resort to extreme measures like nationwide internet shutdowns signal significant pressure.As communications remain severely restricted inside Iran, the world watches to see whether this wave of anger - fueled by inflation, unemployment, currency collapse, and long-simmering demands for freedom - will force meaningful change or face another brutal crackdown.

For now, the streets remain defiant, and symbolic acts like burning portraits continue to inspire hope among supporters of change.