PBS News Hour - Segments Iranian government threatens further crackdown as protests grow
Jan 9, 2026
Vali Nasr, a professor of international affairs and Middle East studies at Johns Hopkins SAIS, dives into the recent protests in Iran, which have escalated from economic grievances to widespread calls for regime change. He discusses the government's internet blackout and the increasing public anger fueled by inflation and a lack of diplomatic solutions. Nasr also analyzes the regime's cautious response, linking it to the need to maintain national unity, and how external threats influence their crackdown strategies.
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Economic Grievances Became Regimewide Protest
- The protests expanded from economic grievances to broad anti-regime demands across all 31 provinces.
- That shift transformed localized unrest into one of Iran's largest movements in years.
Blackout And Mass Arrests Signal Coordinated Suppression
- Authorities cut internet and phone service and reports say dozens were killed and thousands arrested.
- The blackout and arrests reflect a serious, coordinated attempt to suppress the movement.
Regime Calibrated Crackdown To Preserve National Unity
- Iran's regime hesitated to immediately launch a maximal crackdown to avoid breaking a fragile nationalism bond.
- Officials only escalated force after protests shifted toward toppling the Islamic Republic and gained external support.
