Mass protests are gaining momentum across Iran, with sharply conflicting accounts emerging about the situation on the ground. Fox News, citing information attributed to the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), reported that protesters had taken control of the city of Abdanan and the Malekshahi district in the country’s west.

According to representatives of the NCRI, the developments were described as significant, with residents allegedly taking to the streets to mark what they portrayed as the seizure of these locations.

Iranian state-linked news agencies Tasnim and Mehr dispute this version of events. They report that police intervened in Abdanan and restored order, while conditions in Malekshahi have already fully stabilized.

Against this backdrop, earlier media reports claimed that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, had prepared a contingency plan to evacuate to Moscow if the unrest were to spiral out of control. Those reports suggested that Khamenei was considering leaving Tehran together with his closest associates.

The current wave of unrest began on December 28, 2025, amid a severe economic crisis. Protesters have been driven by soaring inflation exceeding 40 percent, the sharp depreciation of the national currency, and persistent energy shortages. A hike in gasoline prices further fueled public anger.

By January 2026, demonstrations had spread to dozens of cities, accompanied by clashes with security forces, mass detentions, and civilian casualties. Several governments advised their citizens to leave Iran as the situation deteriorated.

At the same time, a number of analysts have not ruled out the involvement of external actors in the unrest, most often pointing to the United States and Israel as potential forces operating behind the scenes.