Is this the end for the tyrannical regime of Ayatollah Khamenei and his minions? During the fifth day of protests in Iran, violence erupted in multiple major cities, and protesters were shouting for Khamenei to be killed. But I wouldn’t get too excited yet. Demanding regime change is easy. Bringing it about is something else altogether. Khamenei and his minions have a lot more guns than the protesters do, and the current regime will never step aside willingly. So those that are desperately hoping for regime change in Iran should not count their chickens before they hatch.

But without a doubt, what we are witnessing in Iran at this moment is truly extraordinary.

On Thursday, it was being reported that violent clashes had erupted in Tehran, Marvdasht, Kermanshah, Delfan, Arak and Lordegan…

Protests in Iran entered a fifth consecutive day on Thursday, with demonstrations and clashes reported across Tehran and multiple provincial cities as authorities, state-linked media and rights groups cited additional deaths overnight.

According to Reuters, several people have been killed since the unrest escalated, based on reports from Iranian media and human rights groups. Iranian authorities have confirmed at least one death, while other fatalities have been reported in different provinces.

Opposition group National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) told Fox News Digital in a statement that protests and street clashes continued Thursday morning in Tehran and in cities including Marvdasht, Kermanshah, Delfan and Arak, and claimed that two protesters were killed by direct fire in Lordegan. Fox News Digital could not independently verify the deaths.

According to Newsweek, at least six people have died in the violence so far…

At least six people were killed Thursday as demonstrations over Iran’s worsening economy spread into rural provinces, marking the first deaths since the unrest began. Authorities said five protesters and one member of the security forces died in clashes in Lordegan and Azna, where government buildings were damaged and police responded with tear gas.

Is this the moment when freedom-loving people in Iran will rise up and overthrow their oppressors?

In the city of Kouhdasht, a member of Iran’s security forces was killed and 13 others were injured by protesters that became violent…

Earlier Thursday, state television reported that a member of Iran’s security forces was killed overnight during protests in the western city of Kouhdasht.

“A 21-year-old member of the Basij from the city of Kouhdasht was killed last night by rioters while defending public order,” the channel said, citing Said Pourali, the deputy governor of Lorestan Province.

The Basij are a volunteer paramilitary force linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, the ideological branch of the Islamic republic’s army.

Pourali said that “during the demonstrations in Kouhdasht, 13 police officers and Basij members were injured by stone throwing”.

Will incidents such as this inspire other Iranians to rise up?

Or will the protests just sort of fizzle out in the days ahead?

Only time will tell.

But at this moment, it seems like anything may be possible.

As Mario Nawfal aptly stated in a lengthy post on X, the regime in Iran “is under pressure from all directions”…

Iran is grinding to a halt.

Businesses, universities, and government offices closed across 21 of 31 provinces Wednesday as protests fueled by economic collapse entered their fourth day.

In Fasa, demonstrators stormed the governor’s office. IRGC forces opened fire.

Military helicopters flew overhead to intimidate residents.

Video footage shows crowds chanting “Death to Khamenei!” and “Death to the Dictator!” Bazaar merchants in Kermanshah confronted security forces shouting “Dishonorable!”

The economic crisis is severe: inflation, currency collapse, declining living standards.

President Pezeshkian just appointed a new central bank chief, acknowledging the role is “extremely difficult and complex.”

Khamenei’s response: appoint a hardline IRGC commander as deputy commander in chief of the Revolutionary Guards.

This comes as Trump threatens to “eradicate” any Iranian rebuilding of missiles or nuclear programs, and the U.S. pursues an Iranian-linked oil tanker in the Atlantic.

The regime is under pressure from all directions.

He is right.

Khamenei and his thugs are under siege.

So how will they respond?

In a subsequent post, Nawfal explained that Iranian security forces are stretched extremely thin right now…

It’s not just one angry crowd anymore.

Now it’s over 50 cities rising up at once, and the regime can’t keep up.

Cops and soldiers are being stretched so thin they might as well be taking attendance, not controlling riots.

What started as outrage over soaring prices and brutal crackdowns has turned into something way bigger.

People are done whispering and now shouting in the streets, even in places that used to back the regime.

In the past, most Iranians were deathly afraid of speaking out against the regime.

But now many are publicly shouting anti-regime slogans and are not afraid to call for Khamenei to be killed…

In the videos, protesters are seen chanting anti-regime slogans and confronting security forces in crowded streets.

Footage includes scenes of screaming and apparent gunfire, with demonstrators throwing objects and shouting, “Death to the Dictator” and “Proud Arakis, support, support.”

Additional footage shared by MEK shows crowds chanting, “Death to Khamenei” and “Shame on you, shame on you!” as anger appears to spread across the country, with a particular focus on bazaar-led protests in Tehran.

If the regime in Iran is going to be removed from within, this is probably the best opportunity that we will see.

Sensing that the time is right, the president-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran is boldly proclaiming that this is the moment for the Khamenei regime “to be overthrown”…

Maryam Rajavi, the President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, issued a statement on the continuing protests, noting: “The four-day uprising by merchants, students, and other sectors of society signals the Iranian people’s determination to be free from religious tyranny. This wretched regime is doomed to be overthrown by the risen populace and rebellious youth. The final word is spoken in the streets by the people and the rebellious youth, those with nothing left to lose. This regime must go.”

And Reza Pahlavi is being quite clear about what he wants to see happen…

As the world welcomes the New Year, the dawn of a new era in Iran is upon us. My brave compatriots are on the streets in cities and towns across our country—fighting for their freedom, risking their lives. The current regime has reached the end of the road. It stands at its most fragile: weak, deeply divided, and unable to suppress the courage of a rising nation. The growing protests show this year will be the definitive moment for change.

To the international community: I call upon you to stand with the people of Iran not only in word but in action. Peace in the Middle East and stability across the world depend on a free Iran. Unlike the 46 years of chaos and terror this regime has brought, the new, democratic Iran I seek to forge will usher in an era of prosperity and security.

The tide of history is turning. I invite you not only to witness the birth of a new Iran, but to stand by our side as we achieve it and to work with us to build a legacy of lasting peace.

The Khamenei regime is being backed into a corner.

That is good news, but it also makes them extremely dangerous.

If the mullahs feel like they are facing an existential threat, there is no telling what they might do.

So let’s watch the drama that is unfolding in Iran very closely, because there could be some unexpected twists and turns during the days ahead.

Michael’s new book entitled “10 Prophetic Events That Are Coming Next” is available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com, and you can subscribe to his Substack newsletter at michaeltsnyder.substack.com.