A firestorm of protest swept across Iran on September 19 and 20, 2025, revealing a nation pushed to its breaking point by the clerical regime’s systemic failures. In cities from the political heartland to industrial centers and agricultural regions, Iranians from all walks of life took to the streets. While their specific grievances varied, their actions delivered a unified message of defiance against a corrupt and oppressive ruling theocracy.
These events were interconnected symptoms of a terminal crisis, showcasing a society poised for a major national uprising.
The Political Flashpoint: A Direct Challenge to the Regime in Sabzevar
The most potent political challenge erupted on the evening of September 19 in the city of Sabzevar. Defiant youths ignited the protests, turning streets into arenas of resistance. Chanting anti-regime slogans, they set trash bins ablaze in a symbolic act of rage against the regime’s policies. Their cries soon escalated to “Death to the Dictator” and “Death to Khamenei,” a direct repudiation of the Supreme Leader and the regime in its entirety.
More footage of anti-regime protests in Sabzevar. Protesters block roads with fire and chant slogans such as "Down with the dictator" and "Down with Khamenei"#IranProtests pic.twitter.com/Xs2TksAOIP
— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) September 19, 2025
The regime’s security forces, including the Basij, were met with fierce resistance as hit-and-run clashes broke out. Crucially, the youths were not alone. From windows and rooftops, a chorus of defiance arose as ordinary citizens joined in the chants, transforming scattered protests into a unified urban rebellion that declared, “This is the end of silence, the beginning of rage!”
Economic Collapse: The Fuel for Nationwide Fury
While Sabzevar’s protests were overtly political, they were fueled by a deep well of economic frustration that boiled over in other cities on September 20. The regime’s rampant corruption and gross mismanagement have paralyzed key sectors of the economy, pushing citizens to the edge.
September 20—Ahvaz, southwest Iran
Once again, workers of the Iran National Steel Group took to the streets to protest unpaid wages, poor working conditions, and management's negligence. They have not received their salaries for nearly two months, lack supplementary insurance,… pic.twitter.com/GMOCRa17Yj— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) September 20, 2025
- In Ahvaz, workers from the National Steel Group took to the streets, protesting nearly two months of unpaid wages. Their insurance and even food benefits have been cut off, leaving them with no means of survival.
- In Tehran, hundreds of furious customers who had paid the state-affiliated auto manufacturer SAIPA for vehicles gathered in protest. They have faced delays of seven to ten months with no accountability, prompting one to shout what many feel: “For one car, you have dragged people to the brink of torment!”
- In Tabriz, medical equipment suppliers protested outside the University of Medical Sciences over massive unpaid debts. They warned that the regime’s financial delinquency is not only bankrupting producers but directly endangering patients’ lives.
Social Breakdown: A Cry for Justice and Basic Rights
The crisis extends beyond empty wallets, cutting into the very fabric of Iranian society as citizens rise up against injustice, environmental ruin, and the denial of fundamental rights.
September 20—Tehran, Iran
Hundreds of candidates who passed the national teacher recruitment exam hold protest rally outside the Administrative and Employment Affairs Organization.
Despite achieving high scores, discriminatory weightings and point systems have deprived thousands… pic.twitter.com/b5F4uFZY7y— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) September 20, 2025
- In Tehran, hundreds of qualified teaching applicants protested outside the Administrative and Recruitment Affairs Organization. Despite passing their exams with high marks, a corrupt and discriminatory system has denied them employment, exposing the regime’s hollow promises of meritocracy.
- In Poldasht, farmers from 15 villages gathered in desperation. Their lands have withered from a lack of water, even as the mighty Aras River flows nearby. The regime has diverted their historical water rights to another region, destroying thousands of livelihoods. The farmers issued a stark warning: if their rights are not restored, their protests will expand.
- In Alavijeh, residents protested the systematic destruction of their local mountains by mining companies, a clear example of natural resources being sacrificed for the profit of regime-linked entities.
September 20—Poldasht, northwest Iran
Farmers from 15 villages in Poldasht gathered in protest outside the governor’s office: though the Aras River flows just a few steps away, their farmlands have dried up. The diversion of water from the Karamabad Dam to the nearby town of… pic.twitter.com/C4llAQt7sw— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) September 20, 2025
The events of September 19 and 20 are a clear verdict from the Iranian people. The chant for freedom in Sabzevar, the worker’s demand for bread in Ahvaz, the farmer’s plea for water in Poldasht, and the applicant’s cry for justice in Tehran are not separate struggles. They are different fronts in the same war against an illegitimate regime that has plundered the nation’s wealth, destroyed its environment, and trampled on its people’s dignity.
The regime is facing a crisis of its own making on all fronts. The breadth and intensity of these protests signal that Iranian society is a tinderbox awaiting a spark. The people’s resilience and growing unity in the face of oppression are a powerful testament to their determination to reclaim their country.