A pre-1979 Islamic Revolution Iranian flag is waved during a demonstration in Paris against the Iranian regime's crackdown on protests, on Jan. 4, 2026.BLANCA CRUZ/AFP/Getty Images

Samira Mohyeddin is a Toronto-based journalist.

Iranians have taken to the streets again, calling out corruption, economic collapse, repression and a political system that has lost any meaningful claim to represent them. What began as economic outrage over skyrocketing prices and a collapsing currency has once more become a national reckoning, with protests taking place in dozens of cities.

It’s a moment that, like so many demonstrations before it, is rooted in genuine, deeply felt grievances. But as Iranians’ voices grow louder, so do external narratives about who is involved with this movement and where it is going.

In recent days, numerous foreign officials have publicly encouraged protesters and voiced their support for them. Sitting at her desk with a “Make Iran Great Again” hat on it, Israeli science and technology minister Gila Gamliel posted a video on X telling Iranian demonstrators they have “no better friend than Israel.” Former prime minister Naftali Bennett took to Facebook with his own video talking about all the........

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