A supporter of the National Council of Resistance of Iran waves an Iran's flag as he takes part in a demonstration in support of the Iranian people’s uprising for democracy and freedom in Brussels on January 9, 2026. Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on January 9, 2026 insisted that the Islamic republic would "not back down" in the face of protests after the biggest rallies yet in an almost two week movement sparked by anger over the rising cost of living.