Protests in Tehran 2009–2024
The contemporary history of Iran has been marked by repeated waves of mass protests rooted in social, political, and economic grievances, with Tehran consistently serving as the central stage where crowds gather to voice their dissent. In this study, we compiled a comprehensive digital archive of protests in Tehran spanning 2009 to 2024. Iran’s current socio-political reality remains profoundly influenced by the protest waves of this period; that is, the closer the events are to the present, the greater their analytical and social relevance. By systematically analyzing tens of thousands of digital records, this study provides an evidence-based account of the evolving dynamics of dissent in the Iranian capital, moving beyond episodic narratives to reveal underlying temporal, spatial, and discursive patterns.
The analysis is based on a dataset of 8,522 verified protest observations drawn from an initial set of 96,106 videos, images, and news reports. Each observation was systematically coded with its date, time, geolocated coordinates, crowd size, protest wave, and chants, allowing for a granular reconstruction of events.
The data reveal that protest has become a persistent feature of life in Tehran, with protests documented on 2,104 unique days over the 16-year period. That is equivalent to a protest occurring, on average, once every three days. We also observe a significant evolution in the scale, form, and content of protests. While persistent, smaller-scale demonstrations related to economic and social grievances form a constant backdrop, major protest waves have undergone a clear transformation. During major waves, the number of distinct protest locations on a single day has dramatically increased, from a peak of 31 during the 2009 Green Movement to 49 during the 2019 Aban protests and 72 during the 2022-23 Mahsa Uprising, demonstrating a marked increase in spatial spread of protests in Tehran. Furthermore, the temporal rhythm of protest has also changed, with nighttime demonstrations becoming a key feature of recent uprisings; more than 53% of events during the Mahsa Uprising occurred at night, compared to just 12% during the Green Movement.
A systematic analysis of 8,521 transcribed chants reveals a profound radicalization in protest discourse. Slogans have decisively shifted from being predominantly reform-oriented and supportive of specific political figures (e.g., Mousavi, Rouhani) to demanding fundamental regime change and expressing direct opposition to the Supreme Leader. This trend is accompanied by a marked decline in the use of religious themes and a significant rise in chants related to women's rights, as well as profanity particularly during the Mahsa Uprising. There was a near-total absence of chants favoring any political figures in recent waves prior to 2024.
Collectively, these findings indicate that street protests are not only far from being exceptional events, but they also signal a deepening and persistent rupture between state and society. The evolution in protest tactics and discourse points to a resignation of hopes for reform. Because the Islamic Republic has failed to address the needs of Iranians, it has long undergone legitimacy erosion. The streets have become the battleground where people fight for those needs. Our digital archive provides a foundational resource for future research, offering a systematic, empirical, and evidence-based foundation for understanding the forces shaping contemporary Iran.