The Committee for the Defence of Iranian People’s Rights (CODIR) has today welcomed demonstrations across Iran, which have put pressure upon the theocratic dictatorship, but warned against intervention by the United States to force Iran in a particular direction.
CODIR General Secretary, Gawain Little, reiterated the solidarity organisation’s position of opposition to the dictatorship while opposing outside intervention today.
“These protests underline the fragility of the regime and how narrow its base of support has become”, said Mr. Little, “the impact of international sanctions, the collapse of the Iranian currency and widespread corruption at every level of government have combined to make it almost impossible for the working people of Iran to live above the poverty line. The current demonstrations indicate real disillusionment with the current regime and that is only likely to grow. However, these protests need to be driven and decided by the Iranian people, not the diktats of outside forces such as the United States.”
While the BBC and Western media report backing for the deposed monarchy is a feature of the protests, CODIR’s sources inside Iran suggest that this is not a view which enjoys widespread popular support. At present the protests are focussed on opposing the existing regime without any clear coalescence around an alternative. Given the repression of progressive opposition groups under the former Shah, a factor leading to the 1979 revolution, there is widespread scepticism that a return to monarchy in Iran would bring any improvement in the lives of working people.
In a recent interview in the United States the former Shah’s son, Reza Pahlavi, was clear that he does not see his future as being based in Iran, given that his life, family and friends have been based in the United States for the past 40 years.
CODIR welcomed the support of European Parliament President, Roberta Metsola, who has paid tribute to the street protesters praising a “generation who want to tear off the shackles of oppression.”
Other European leaders have so far been more cautious while US President, Donald Trump, has repeated his threat to intervene if more people are killed as a result of the protests, having stated last week that the US will “come to their rescue”. Reports suggest that so far, the regime has killed at least 38 people while more than 2,200 others have been detained.
The current level of protests match those which followed the rigged Presidential election in 2009 and surpass those following the death in custody of Mahsa Amini in September 2022.
As well as the usual show of force the Iranian regime has imposed a countrywide internet shutdown in an attempt to close down channels of communication and prevent protests becoming even more widespread.
CODIR Assistant General Secretary, Jamshid Ahmadi, outlined the dire situation within Iran, stating,
“Widespread strike action has greeted the government’s failure to tackle the issues facing the Iranian people, with protests in the oil industry, the public sector and from pensioners all demonstrating against poor working conditions and a deterioration in the value of earnings. Iranian trade unions and trade unionists are supporting the demand for democratic change in the country. The current wave of protests builds upon these actions and stresses the extent of the Iranian people’s suffering under the dictatorship.”
CODIR is calling upon all affiliates and the British government to show support for the protesters, in the face of the dictatorial actions of the regime, while opposing any foreign intervention, stressing that the future of Iran must be determined by the Iranian people.
9th January 2026
Press release
Further information for Editors
Contact Information for CODIR:-
Postal Address:
B.M.CODIR
London
WC1N 3XX, UK
CODIR is an affiliate of Liberation
