Iran uprising: Regime deploys drones and machine guns as rebellious youth defy brutal crackdown

2026-01-26 - 13:04

As the nationwide uprising in Iran pushes through January 2026, the clerical regime finds itself facing an unprecedented challenge to its survival. What began in late December 2025 as a strike against economic mismanagement has rapidly metamorphosed into a full-scale political confrontation. Despite the regime’s deployment of heavy weaponry, including machine-gun-mounted vehicles and surveillance drones, reports from the ground—specifically from the rebellious youth in Kermanshah—indicate that the wall of fear has crumbled. The movement has expanded geographically into hundreds of locations across multiple provinces and socially into universities. While the regime attempted to suffocate the news by restricting communications, the narrative on the street had already consolidated around systemic political change. The Battle for Kermanshah: A Timeline of Resistance Reports obtained from Kermanshah offer a window into the intensity of the conflict and the bravery of the people. The situation escalated on December 30, when market owners in the Mosaddegh and Modarres districts, as well as the intersection of Ojaq and Nobahar, initiated strikes. Clashes with regime mercenaries erupted almost immediately, with the youth chanting “Disgraceful!” at the suppressive forces. By the following day, December 31, teachers had joined the protests, rallying in front of the Department of Education. As the bazaar strikes held firm, demonstrations in Azadi, Mosaddegh, and Jomhuri squares intensified with the defining slogan of the uprising: “Death to Khamenei.” January 8—Kermanshah, western Iran Residents of Dareh Deraz district chant "Down with Khamenei!" in their protest rallies.#IranProtests pic.twitter.com/IKObBNrFnR — People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) January 8, 2026 By January 1, the regime had begun locking down the city, controlling entrances to Kermanshah from the morning hours. Clashes spread from Azadi Square to Shohada Square. By Friday, the regime had turned the Nobahar area into a militarized zone, stationing depot forces in the Maskan district. When demonstrations began at 4:00 PM in Mosaddegh Square, the regime responded by cutting off the internet to hide their crimes. However, the repression only hardened the resolve of the youth. On January 3, the confrontation shifted to armed self-defense. In the Jafarabad district, when mercenaries fired tear gas at the crowds, the people, who had brought weapons, returned fire. In the ensuing exchange, two regime agents were killed. The accounts we obtained describe the situation in Jafarabad as a “war,” with residents using both weapons and stones to repel the attackers. Regime Deploys War Machine Against Citizens As the uprising entered its second week, the regime’s tactics became increasingly desperate and violent. By January 7, strikes in Diesel Abad were met with clashes. At Azad University, students rallied under the slogan “Student dies, but accepts no humiliation,” directly confronting security forces. January 8—Kermanshah, western Iran Security forces use lethal force and are directly shooting at demonstrators during nightly rallies.#IranProtests #IranRevolution pic.twitter.com/GWOgmnkqBC — People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) January 8, 2026 The violence peaked on January 10, when regime forces killed three young men and one girl in the Moallem district. In response to this brutality, rebellious youth in Pardis set fire to two police vans. The regime’s loss of control was evident in the type of equipment they were forced to deploy. In the “Garage” district, authorities brought in vehicles mounted with machine guns to intimidate the population. By January 11, the regime resorted to using drones for surveillance. Wherever a gathering formed, drones would hover overhead, directing rapid-response units to the location. Yet, despite this high-tech suppression and the use of shotguns by mercenaries, the youth continued their hit-and-run tactics, leaving the regime’s forces confused and unsure of where to deploy next. Regime Officials Admit to “Level 4” Panic and Massive Losses The ferocity of the uprising has forced regime officials to abandon their usual narrative of invincibility. Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf, the speaker of the regime’s parliament (Majlis), described the events as a “terrorist war,” admitting that the regime suffered a defeat more “disgraceful” than previous military failures. He acknowledged that the uprising was “fully organized” and occurred simultaneously in almost all cities. Kermanshah, western Iran Newly obtained footage from the January 2026 protests shows the regime's security forces opening fire on unarmed protesters. The regime is committing crimes against humanity.#IranProtests pic.twitter.com/0Os3DzcNTl — People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) January 12, 2026 Even more telling was the admission by Ebrahim Azizi, head of the Majlis Security Commission. He stated that the protests had escalated beyond economic or political grievances to a “Level 4” threat: armed action and chaos. In a shocking revelation of the scale of violence, Azizi admitted, “We gave more than 3,000 killed,” acknowledging the heavy toll the conflict has taken. The material cost to the regime has been equally devastating. The governor’s office in Kermanshah reported damages to regime properties totaling 12 trillion rials, with seven bank branches completely destroyed. The Tasnim News Agency, affiliated with the terrorist Qods Force, reported that in Rasht alone, 11 regime offices and 16 bank branches were set on fire. Ahmadreza Radan, the criminal head of the regime’s State Security Force, described the situation as passing through a “very dangerous and complex pass.” His words, meant to rally his demoralized forces, instead highlight the severity of the crisis facing the dictatorship. With rebellious youth holding their ground against machine guns and drones, the uprising has proven that the Iranian people’s desire for freedom is stronger than the regime’s machinery of suppression.