Iran’s Regime Vulnerable, Khamenei Remains Firm

On 10 January 2026 Sky News reported that Iran’s 31‑province protest movement continues to test an increasingly vulnerable regime led by 86‑year‑old Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. The government has tightened its playbook since earlier uprisings in 2009 (election fraud), 2019 (fuel‑price surge – 1,500 deaths reported), and 2022 (morality‑police abuses). IRGC and Basij militias carry out mass detentions, executions, and internet shutdowns, leaving protestors isolated and without coordination. Ex‑crown prince Reza Pahlavi, in the US, has called for strikes, but local momentum is dampened by limited media access. External actors such as former President Donald Trump and Israel have threatened to respond if the regime opens fire, adding further pressure on the ruling clerics.