Here’s Why the Iranian Regime Seems Invincible

Here’s Why the Iranian Regime Seems Invincible

A regime billboard in downtown Tehran on January 6, 2026. (Photo by Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto via Getty Images.)Over the past few decades, Iranians’ protests against the Islamic Republic have become a regular sight—bursts of defiance that light up the streets, fill the air with hope, and then fade away only to become a fire beneath ashes. Each protest seems bigger, braver, and more hopeful. Yet each time, the system endures.Still, hope doesn’t …