Why Didn't the Iranian People Rise Up?
Outside powers bet that pressure and crisis would push Iranians into revolt. Instead, a mix of ruthless repression, a fractured opposition, and fear of what comes next keeps the streets quiet.
Simon Whistler • April 14, 2026
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Note: this transcript was generated by AI and may contain errors or inconsistencies.
At the start of this year, there were two stories that absolutely dominated global headlines. One was the capture of Nicolas Maduro in Caracas and all the geopolitical fallout that followed. However, it's the other story that we want to talk about today, the winter protests in Iran.
By all accounts, these were the largest protests in the Islamic Republic since the 1979 revolution, and they indicated just how frustrated the average Iranian had become with the regime. While they started in Tehran, they soon spread to multiple cities across the country, including Tabriz in the north and Avaaz in the south.
But while the size of the protests was notable, it was the regime's response that really made headlines.
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