Is this the end of the Islamic Republic?

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14 Jan 2026

Is this the end of the Islamic Republic?

It began with anger over soaring prices, but it has spiralled into what may be the most serious challenge to the Iranian regime since the 1979 revolution. Crucially, this uprising began not with students or dissidents, but with the bazaari, Tehran's merchants and shopkeepers, long considered pillars of the Islamic Republic. We're joined by DCU's Paola Rivetti to ask: is the Islamic Republic finally on the brink?

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