‘Neither Gaza nor Lebanon!’ Iranian unrest is about more than the economy − protesters reject the Islamic Republic’s whole rationale

Angered not just by social crises, Iranians are asking fundamental questions about the costs and sacrifices demanded by the Islamic Republic’s ruling ideology.

By: Kamran Talattof, University of Arizona, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: January 6, 2026

Words: 1,384

Last Updated: 3 days, 10 hours ago

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By Kamran Talattof, University of Arizona

A familiar slogan has echoed through the streets of various Iranian cities in recent days: “Neither Gaza nor Lebanon, I sacrifice my life for Iran.”

That phrase has been chanted at protests that have sprung up around Iran since Dec. 28, 2025. The spark of the uprising and bazaar strikes has been economic hardship and government mismanagement.

But as an expert of Iranian history …

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