Why are there mass protests in Iran, and could the US get involved? (CNN)

Anti-government protests have erupted across all 31 of Iran’s provinces in a wave of unrest that marks the biggest challenge to the regime in years. An ongoing communications shutdown, which experts say is unprecedented in its scale, was imposed by authorities on Thursday and has mostly isolated the country from the outside world amid the deadly unrest. US President Donald Trump has threatened repeatedly to attack Iran if its security forces respond with violence against protesters. A US-based rights group reports that more than 2,400 protesters have been killed and thousands more arrested. As public anger continues to build, here’s what you need to know. What triggered the protests? The protests began around two weeks ago in Tehran’s bazaars over rampant inflation but have spread to more than 180 cities and towns across the country, morphing into general protests against the regime. Concerns over inflation came to a head when the prices of basic goods such as cooking oil and chicken dramatically spiked, with some products vanishing from shelves altogether. Exacerbating the situation was a decision by the central bank to end a program allowing some importers to access cheaper US dollars compared to the rest of the market. This led shopkeepers to increase prices and some to shut their doors, sparking the demonstrations. The move by the bazaaris, as shopkeepers in the bazaars are known, is a drastic measure for a group traditionally supportive of the Islamic Republic. Iran’s reformist government attempted to alleviate the pressure by offering direct cash handouts of almost $7 per month to the entire population, but the move failed to quell the unrest. What have Trump and Khamenei said? Trump said his administration is monitoring the deadly protests in Iran and is continuing to weigh potential military options. He declared in a message Tuesday that “help is on its way” for protesters. Hours later, he told CBS News that Iran should expect “very strong action” from the United States if any protesters are executed. Trump said Tuesday that he has canceled all meetings with Iranian officials, suggesting the window of diplomacy that he saw opening days ago has closed. Iran’s foreign minister had said the day before that his country was ready to negotiate with the US based on “mutual respect and interests.” In a message on Truth Social, Trump encouraged protesters to keep up the demonstrations. “Iranian Patriots, KEEP PROTESTING - TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!!” Trump wrote. “Save the names of the killers and abusers. They will pay a big price,” he went on. “I have cancelled all meetings with Iranian Officials until the senseless killing of protesters STOPS. HELP IS ON ITS WAY.” He ended by writing “MIGA,” or Make Iran Great Again. source: https://edition.cnn.com/2026/01/12/middleeast/iran-mass-protests-explained-intl