The image of a lone protester sitting in front of armed security forces in Iran has sparked comparisons to the iconic "Tank Man" photo near Tiananmen Square in China as intense anti-regime unrest spreads throughout the Islamic Republic.
Video obtained and shared by Iran International shows a black-clad person sitting in the middle of a street in Tehran, blocking police on motorbikes. The person's head is bowed.
The powerful scene drew comparisons on social media to the historic act of defiance captured in 1989, when an unidentified man stood against the advance of tanks during the Tiananmen Square protests.
It comes as violent protests have engulfed Tehran and other Iranian cities over severe economic hardship, the Muslim social crackdown and problems getting water.
At least seven people have been killed during the largest wave of demonstrations since 2022, with angry crowds flooding the streets and chanting anti-regime slogans, including "Death to the dictator" and "Death to Khamenei."
The protesters are referring to Iran's leader, Ali Khamenei.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian initially struck a more conciliatory tone when the demonstrations began almost a week ago, but the regime has responded more aggressively in recent days.
Verified video shows dozens of people in front of a burning police station as the occasional sound of gunfire rings out and others shout "shameless, shameless" at authorities.
The escalating violence has also caught the attention of President Donald Trump, who voiced support for the protesters in a post on his Truth Social platform.
"If Iran [shoots] and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue," Trump wrote. "We are locked and loaded and ready to go."
Iranian officials warned that any U.S. involvement would trigger broader chaos across the Middle East.
Ali Shamkhani, an adviser to Khamenei, responded in a post on X.
"Any interventionist hand that gets too close to the security of Iran will be cut," he said.
"The people of Iran properly know the experience of 'being rescued' by Americans: from Iraq and Afghanistan to Gaza."
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.