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Saturday, November 14, 2026Nov 14

Iran’s leadership is under pressure as protests continue. Here’s what to know

A man burns a photo of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during a protest at the Iranian Consulate in Milan, Italy, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. (Claudio Furlan/LaPresse via AP)
A man burns a photo of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during a protest at the Iranian Consulate in Milan, Italy, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. (Claudio Furlan/LaPresse via AP)


LONDON (AP) — Iran’s leadership is under incredible pressure as the largest protests in years against the Islamic theocracy shake the country.

Government hard-liners have threatened to attack the U.S. military and archrival Israel over support for the demonstrators, though for now President Donald Trump says Iran has signaled it wants to negotiate with Washington.

There is no sign that a Venezuela-style U.S. military intervention is coming.

Here’s a look at the fragility at the top as the protest death toll rises into the hundreds in the crackdown and as connections to the outside world remain cut.