Young Women at the Forefront as Iran Protests Expand Across All Provinces

On Sunday, January 4, 2026, the Iranian people’s uprising entered its second week and spread to all provinces across Iran. As Iran protests sweep across the country, young women are loud and outspoken in these demonstrations, often leading chants and slogans.

Despite shutting down cities and universities and forcibly expelling students from some dormitories, the clerical regime failed to extinguish the flames of the uprising. Instead, more cities joined the protests, and a growing number of shopkeepers turned to strikes and open resistance.

After a full week, Ali Khamenei, the regime’s Supreme Leader, was compelled to appear publicly and issue threats of further bloodshed. Nevertheless, the Iranian people’s uprising continues with even greater intensity and momentum.

On Sunday, protest demonstrations chanting “Death to the Dictator” and “Death to Khamenei” have been reported in dozens of cities, including Tehran, Mashhad, Kermanshah, Shiraz, Ahvaz, Birjand, Qorveh, Hafshejan, Malekshahi, Kuhdasht, Fooladshahr (Isfahan), Karaj (Fardis), Isfahan, Yazd, Rasht, Sari, Amol, Bushehr, Yasuj, Hamedan, Zanjan, Qazvin, Arak, Gachsaran, Rudsar, Lahijan, Eqlid, Neyriz, Firuzabad, Zarqan, Koshan and Ma’ali Abad (Shiraz), Azna, Bushehr, Jowayin, Abdanan, Mehran, Arak, and Sari.

Young Women and Students at the Forefront of Escalating Protests

In Mashhad, clashes between protesters and police began with chants of “Death to the Dictator,” with young women and girls forming the majority of demonstrators.

In South Tehran’s Naziabad District, a large crowd demonstrated, chanting ‘Death to the dictator,’ and a brave woman carried a placard that read, ‘I am not a rioter,’ in response to Khamenei’s baseless remarks.

According to the regime-affiliated Tasnim News Agency, a young woman named Saghar Etemadi, 22, was seriously injured during protests in Farsan, in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province, after being struck in the head by multiple pellet gun shots. She is currently hospitalized.

Young Women at the Forefront as Iran Protests Expand Across All Provinces — Saghar Etemadi was shot in the head by pellet guns, and is presently hospitalized

Meanwhile, Sarira Karimi, Secretary of (the Student Union) Council of the Faculty of Law and Political Science and a member of the Central Student Union Council of the University of Tehran, who was arrested during protests on Wednesday, December 31, 2025, reportedly released a video message following her release. In the video, she called on all students to unite and expel Basij forces from universities.

“I am Sarira Karimi, a student at the University of Tehran. Basij forces raided our home and arrested me. Today (Thursday, January 1), I was released. We must no longer allow them to arrest us one by one. The time has come to unite… Protest without unity among all students will go nowhere. Now is the moment. The freedom of this country is our responsibility as students. We are not afraid, because we are together.”

Numerous Young Women and Girls Arrested During Iran Protests

Alongside their fellow demonstrators, Iran’s young women and girls are paying a heavy price for freedom.

According to reports circulating on social media, numerous young women and girls were arrested across various cities during last week’s protests. Some were covered in earlier reports. This report provides the names of additional detainees whose identities have now been confirmed:

Mashhad:

Donya Sabouri (20) and Yekta Dorzadeh (20), a clothing vendor, were arrested during protests on Friday, January 2.

Elham Gharakhani (33) was arrested the same day during protests on Rahnamayi and Esteghlal streets. Two days later, there was still no official information about her whereabouts or physical condition.

Hasti Karimi (16), a school student, was abducted by plainclothes agents on Saturday afternoon, January 3, near Palestine Square.

Rahaleh Zardkouhi, the mother of a seven-year-old girl, was arrested on January 1.

Sabzevar:

Saba Mahroomi (17) and Zahra Mahdavi (17) were arrested during protests on December 30 and transferred to the Mashhad Juvenile Detention Center.

Soha Davoudifar (17) was arrested on the evening of Friday, January 2, and likewise transferred to the same facility.

Nazanin Zahra Mousavi (17) was also arrested during the Sabzevar protests.

Kermanshah:

Mahsa Zarei, a Kurdish cultural activist, was arrested by regime agents on Friday, January 2, and taken to an undisclosed location.

Shiraz:

Fariba Hosseini, a dentist, has been arrested, and no information is available regarding her whereabouts.

Lalik-e Bahmaei, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province:

Nahid Sahabi was arrested by security forces on Friday, January 2.

Yasuj:

Zahra Izadinia (26), a public health graduate from Yasuj University of Medical Sciences, was arrested along with 15 others during protests on Friday, January 2.