DARKNESS has descended over next-door Iran, where widespread, violent protests refuse to abate, posing the most serious governance and security challenges to the government in recent memory. With a nearly complete communications blackout in place, it has been difficult to obtain verifiable information from the country, and with various global powers taking increasingly assertive positions in the ongoing unrest, it is almost impossible to discern facts from propaganda in international reportage on Iran’s unfolding crisis.

We do know that, on Saturday, the Iranian army issued a statement saying it would safeguard strategic infrastructure and public property, while urging Iranians to “thwart the enemy’s plots”. Clearly, things have reached a point where the protests are being seen as a national security threat.

Inflammatory rhetoric from American leaders, including the US president, has not helped and, indeed, may have put Iranians in greater jeopardy by fanning paranoia.

There have been concerning reports of state buildings being set on fire, and both protesters and security forces being killed in clashes. Educational institutions have reportedly been closed in the worst-affected areas.

The current situation represents a dramatic escalation from about two weeks ago, when the protests had begun in response to soaring inflation. The agitation gradually turned political, with the protesters calling for the leadership to step down, expressing dissatisfaction in violent ways.

It bears remembering that Iran has been subjected to crippling sanctions for decades, most recently over its nuclear programme. Yet, despite facing extreme adversity, the Iranian leadership and, indeed, its people, have clung to their sense of national pride and refused to let others dictate terms to them.

It seems that the war with Israel last year left the country weakened. How this challenge is navigated will be a test for the Iranian people.

There is, of course, much for Pakistan to be concerned about, given that Iran is an adjacent neighbour and also a ‘brotherly’ nation. The uprising there cannot simply be considered an internal matter. Given the actors involved and the global forces seeking an opening, Pakistan must remain wary of how things unfold, as it will want to avoid any situation that brings another global conflict to its doorstep.

That said, this remains a matter for the Iranian people to resolve. The ruling class must identify and accept its mistakes, and move to address them decisively and transparently. It must win back the trust of those protesting or accommodate their demands to avoid a further meltdown. Meanwhile, the Iranian people must remain wary of those exploiting their divisions while posing as friends. Ultimately, a nation must decide what is best for it by itself.

Published in Dawn, January 11th, 2026