Iran has entered its largest wave of unrest since 2022, as protests demanding regime change spread across the country following economic collapse and renewed public anger toward the Islamic Republic. Demonstrators have openly called for the end of clerical rule and the return of exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi, chanting “Javid Shah!”—“Long live the king!”—in cities across Iran.

The unrest follows the so-called “12-Day War,” triggered by the broader Israel–Gaza conflict, during which Israeli strikes hit Iranian military, nuclear, and air-defence targets. In the aftermath, Iran’s economy deteriorated rapidly, with inflation surging and the currency collapsing. By December 2025, protests had erupted nationwide.

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Iranians are protesting because the Islamic Republic has failed morally, economically, politically, and nationally. This is not a single-issue movement. It is a society-wide rejection of a system that has ruled through fear—and a demand to reclaim Iran’s future. After 47 years of state violence and killings, mandatory hijab and oppression of women, tax dollars spent on terrorism, religious repression and lack of basic freedoms, Iranians have had enough.

On January 1, hundreds of Iranian-Canadians gathered in Richmond Hill, north of Toronto, at a rally organized by members of Reza Pahlavi’s official team. The event drew activists, community leaders, and Members of Parliament, with repeated chants calling for regime change.

Dr. Alan Bostakian, senior advisor to the Iran Prosperity Project, said the movement has implications beyond Iran. “This is not a routine protest,” Bostakian said. “It’s a clear demand for regime change. What happens in Iran does not stay in Iran. A free Iran would improve regional stability and global security.”

Despite Canada formally designating Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist entity in June 2024, pro-regime symbolism continues to appear at protests in Toronto. Iranian flags linked to the Islamic Republic and images of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei have been displayed publicly, raising questions about enforcement of Canada’s anti-terrorism laws.

Meanwhile, violence in Iran has continued. At least four protesters have been confirmed killed in recent clashes, prompting renewed international concern and warnings from U.S. President Donald Trump.

Iranian-Canadians at the January rally emphasized that supporting the Iranian people means opposing the regime’s influence abroad. As protests escalate, critics say Canada cannot claim neutrality while allowing regime propaganda and proxy symbolism to operate openly on its streets.