A viral video of a bleeding elderly woman shouting “I’m not afraid” has become a powerful symbol of Iran’s growing protests against the Islamic regime.
Iran on Edge as Elderly Woman’s Protest Cry Ignites New Wave of Unrest (Source: X/Masih Alinejad)
As Iran's protest is increasing rapidly on anti-government demonstrations, one powerful video has caught the world’s attention. It shows an elderly woman walking through the streets of Tehran during a night protest, openly challenging Iran’s Islamic rulers.
In the clip, the woman appears to have red liquid coming from her mouth. It is unclear whether it is blood or symbolic paint. Despite this, she keeps marching and shouting slogans against the government. She said, "I'm not afraid. I've been dead for 47 years."
Her words struck a deep emotional chord across Iran and beyond, turning her into a symbol of the country’s growing anger and suffering.
The woman’s statement refers to the 1979 Islamic Revolution, which happened 47 years ago. That revolution removed Iran’s pro-Western ruler Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and replaced him with a strict Islamic system led by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.
Today, Iran is ruled by Supreme Leader Seyyed Ali Hosseini Khamenei, who is the grandson of Khomeini. Many Iranians believe their rights, freedoms, and economic opportunities have been taken away since that revolution.
Iranian-American journalist and activist Masih Alinejad shared the viral video on X and strongly supported the woman’s message. She wrote, "I'm not afraid. I've been dead for 47 years, This is the voice of a woman in Iran who is fed up with the Islamic republic."
Alinejad also added, "47 years ago, the Islamic Republic took our rights and turned a nation into hostages. Today people have nothing left to lose, they rise. Iran is rising." Her post helped spread the woman’s message across social media, turning the protest into a global moment.
I’m not afraid. I’ve been dead for 47 years this is the voice of a woman in Iran who is fed up with the Islamic republic.
— Masih Alinejad 🏳️ (@AlinejadMasih) January 8, 2026
47 years ago, the Islamic Republic took our rights and turned a nation into hostages.
Today people have nothing left to lose, they rise.
Iran is rising. pic.twitter.com/GAawmynE0C
As anger spread, Iran’s government shut down internet access and blocked international phone calls across the country. This happened just as people responded to a call for a night-time protest by Iran’s exiled crown prince, Reza Pahlavi.
From their homes and streets, Iranians shouted slogans from their windows and gathered in large numbers despite the blackout.
This was the first real test of whether people would follow Reza Pahlavi, whose father, the last shah, fled Iran shortly before the 1979 revolution.
During the protests, some people openly shouted in support of the former royal family. In the past, such chants could have meant death. But now, they show how deeply people are fed up with the current system.
Crowd cries praising the Pahlavi family and rejecting the Islamic Republic could be heard in both large cities and small towns.
BREAKING: Unprecedented protest sweeping throughout every province in Iran right now.
— Eyal Yakoby (@EYakoby) January 8, 2026
Where is the media?pic.twitter.com/sm7uo0Fiie
According to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, at least 42 people have been killed and more than 2,270 others have been arrested since the protests began.
Markets and bazaars across the country have shut down in support of the protesters, showing that the unrest is spreading through all levels of society.
The protests are placing huge pressure on Iran’s government and on Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Internet tracking firms like Cloudflare and NetBlocks confirmed that the blackout was caused by the Iranian authorities.
In the past, such blackouts have usually been followed by violent government crackdowns.
Iran’s state television finally mentioned the protests on Friday. However, it claimed that “terrorist agents” linked to the US and Israel were behind the violence. It did not talk about the internet shutdown. Instead, the channel focused on government food subsidies during its morning broadcast, avoiding any real discussion of the unrest.
Despite the heavy response, protesters continue to march without a single leader. People across the country are chanting powerful slogans such as, “Death to the dictator!”
“Death to the Islamic Republic!”
Others shouted in support of Iran’s former monarchy, saying, “This is the last battle! Pahlavi will return!” These voices show how deeply the country’s anger runs and how Iran may be standing at another historic turning point.
