Release of Prominent Reformist Figures in Iran After Wave of Protests

In a surprising move following the massive protests that swept Iran in late December 2025, Iranian authorities released two prominent reformist figures yesterday evening, after they were detained on charges related to "targeting national unity and collaborating with foreign propaganda."

Their lawyer, Hojjat Karami, confirmed that both Javad Emam, spokesperson for the reformists' front, and IbrahimAsgharzadeh, a former parliament member, were released after posting bail, according to the ISNA news agency.

The third figure, Azar Mansouri, head of the reformists' front since 2023 and former advisor to the reformist president Mohammad Khatami, was indicated by Karami to potentially be released "in the coming days."

These arrests came in the wake of protests that began in the Tehran bazaar against economic and living conditions, which then turned into political demands and criticism of the government, resulting in clashes between protesters and security forces that led to the deaths of more than 3,000 people, including security personnel, according to official sources.

Iranian officials accused foreign entities, primarily Israel and the U.S., of attempting to incite the demonstrations and destabilize the country, while the charges against the reformist leaders included "promoting surrender and establishing secret destructive mechanisms."

This move represents a sign of Iranian authorities' efforts to ease political tensions after weeks of bloody protests, with public attention remaining focused on the anticipated release of Mansouri.