Can this wave of protests, like the 2022 movement, evolve into a sustained national challenge to the Islamic Republic. And what are the similarities and differences between the Woman, Life, Freedom movement and this moment.

As of January 2026, the streets of Tehran, Isfahan, and Mashhad are alive with a sound the Islamic Republic has spent forty-seven years trying to silence: the roar of a people who no longer fear their oppressors.

The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Townhall. com. Iran is once again at a historic crossroads.