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Iran’s ethnic minorities could hold key to regime’s fate as protests continue
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Even as the anti-regime protests seemed to slow down on Friday, experts say there is a major part of the country that could help decide the future of the country and that’s Iran’s complex ethnic minority population, which makes up just under 50% of the population.
Shukriya Bradost, a leading academic expert on Iran’s minorities who was born and raised in the Kurdistan region of Iran, told Fox News Digital that «Ethnic groups from the establishment of the Islamic constitution in 1979 did not support it and have been fighting for their rights for 47 years.»
According to a new paper authored by Bradost, «Iran’s protests have spread across provinces, despite skepticism and concern among ethnic groups,» she notes that 51% of the country is Persian, Azeris make up 24%, Kurds comprise roughly 8% to 17% of the nation, and Arabs and Baluch minorities number 3% and 2% of the population.
IRAN PROTESTS SPARK REGIME SURVIVAL QUESTION AS EXILED DISSIDENT SAYS IT FEELS LIKE A ‘REVOLUTION’
In this photo obtained by The Associated Press, Iranians attend an anti-government protest in Tehran, Iran, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. (UGC via AP)
She wrote that «Iran is a country of about 93 million people whose modern state was built around a centralized national identity rather than ethnic pluralism.»
«The regime cannot survive anymore. The regime will fight to the last bullet if Khamenei is still alive,» she said.
Reports from various groups say the supreme leader of the Islamic Republic, Ali Khamenei, ordered the slaughter of thousands of protesters — the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists in Iran reported 2,571 deaths from the protests, while leading Iranian opposition figure Reza Pahlavi told Bret Baier on «Special Report» on Monday that a minimum of 12,000 people are dead.
Sardar Pashaei, the president of Hiwa, a nonprofit that organizes a new generation of Kurdish activists for human rights and democratic change, told Fox News Digital that, «Ethnic minorities make up nearly half of Iran’s population, and no meaningful political transition can succeed without them. Kurds, in particular, have decades of experience resisting authoritarian rule and have consistently paid the highest price through repression, imprisonment, and loss of life. Their role is not symbolic — it is structural to any real challenge to the Islamic Republic.»
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Iranians gather while blocking a street during a protest in Tehran, Iran, on Jan. 9, 2026. (MAHSA / Middle East Images / AFP via Getty Images)
Pashaei, who won a Greco-Roman wrestling world championship title for Iran and coached the country’s elite Greco-Roman team, added, «Beyond protest, ethnic minorities — especially Kurds — are crucial to ensuring that one form of tyranny is not replaced by another. Kurdish political culture strongly favors democratic values, pluralism and women’s participation, which is why there is almost no support among them for monarchy or lifetime rule.»
He noted that «In Syria and Iraq, Kurdish-administered areas became among the most stable after the collapse of dictatorships, and Kurdish regions in Iran would likely be among the most stable after the fall of the Islamic regime. Despite this, Kurds continue to face discrimination both inside Iran and within opposition politics, even though a democratic future can only be built through a broad, inclusive coalition.»
Khalil Kani Sanani, a spokesperson for the Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK), told Fox News Digital that there are two provinces to keep an eye on. «Today, Kermanshah and Ilam are prepared to play that role. The organizations of the Kurdistan Freedom Party and the units of the National Army of Kurdistan in the cities of those two provinces are both managing the uprising process and carrying out resistance and legitimate defense.»
TRUMP CANCELS ALL MEETINGS WITH IRAN, CALLS ON PROTESTERS TO ‘TAKE OVER’ THE COUNTRY
The grave of Mahsa Amini in her hometown of Saqqez, Iran. Photo obtained by Fox News Digital. (Fox News Digital)
He noted the last major uprising began in those regions. «This time as well, after Tehran’s suppression, the cities of Kurdistan became centers of uprising against the regime, and from Kurdistan the spirit of revolt has spread toward Tehran and across all of Iran.»
The «Jina uprising» he referred to was known as «The Women, Life, Freedom» movement that unfolded across Iran after the Islamic Republic’s morality police murdered Mahsa (Jina) Amini, a young Iranian-Kurdish woman, in September 2022 for failing to properly wear her hijab.
Kani Sanani said «The operations of our units in Kermanshah, Ilam, Lorestan, and Bakhtiari against the IRGC [Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps] forces have given great hope to the people and raised public morale. If the airspace of those regions were to be closed to the regime’s aircraft, our forces would rapidly take control of all the cities in those provinces, and from there we would move with a force of 100,000 people to assist the residents of Tehran.»
Siamand Moeini, who is on the leadership council of The Kurdistan Free Life Party (PJAK), told Fox News Digital the «The current government has no capacity or program for internal democratic reforms. Therefore, the best alternative is a joint struggle to change it and establish a democratic system that includes participation from all peoples of Iran.»
In this photo taken by an individual not employed by The Associated Press and obtained by the AP outside Iran, Iranians protest the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini after she was detained by the morality police, in Tehran, Oct. 1, 2022. (The Associated Press)
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He added that «Iran’s current centralized system fails to represent the will of its people. Over the past century, authoritarian governance and central state repression have resulted in the suffering and deaths of thousands — policies that the people of Iran have consistently rejected. In the current circumstances, we propose a democratic self-governance alternative for all regions of Iran, especially for Kurdistan, which can adequately address the needs of the Kurdish population.»
According to Moeini, «Iran’s future system of governance must be grounded in the broad participation and cooperation of all its peoples, laying the foundation for a truly sustainable and inclusive democracy.»
iran,ali khamenei,world protests,middle east
INTERNACIONAL
Conservative immigration experts split on whether Trump is ‘backing down’ in MN ICE fight
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Conservative immigration experts were split on whether President Donald Trump was «backing down» after Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said the president told him he was considering reducing the number of federal agents in Minnesota after they went into the state to enforce immigration law.
In addition to reported plans to retreat from Minnesota, the top Border Patrol official leading deportation operations around the country, including in Minnesota, will be reassigned back to his former duties as chief of Border Patrol in the El Centro, California sector as of currently, Fox News’ Bill Melugin reported.
«If the Trump Administration accedes to Minnesota’s unreasonable, unlawful demands, it will have surrendered the rule of law to thugs and brigands. Lawlessness is a choice, and it’s not a choice that the Trump administration should make, or support in any way,» Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) Executive Director Dale Wilcox told Fox News Digital.
«FAIR believes that Congress charged ICE with enforcing the immigration laws of the United States. And that is exactly what ICE should do. The Supreme Court has opined that the power to enforce immigration law belongs exclusively to the federal government. The mere fact that irresponsible state and local leaders in Minnesota have mistakenly led their citizens to believe that they are free to interfere with federal government operations, and have thereby incited civil unrest, is not a valid reason to keep ICE from doing its job.»
BORDER PATROL COMMANDER GREGORY BOVINO TO LEAVE MINNESOTA, AS TOM HOMAN TAKES OVER
ICE split with President Donald Trump. (Trump-Vance Transition Team, ICE)
But, Executive Director at the Center for Immigration Studies Mark Krikorian clapped back at the idea that Trump was «backing down.»
«I didn’t think that’s what Trump is saying – rather, based on his Truth Social post, he was saying ICE won’t have to do at-large arrests if Minnesota changes its sanctuary policies and allows ICE into the jails and prisons to take custody of illegals once the locals have finished with them,» Krikorian told Fox News Digital. «That’s not ending enforcement – that’s returning enforcement to the ways it’s always been done and the way it’s being done even now in non-sanctuary jurisdictions.»
On Monday, President Trump said that «Tim Walz called [him] with the request to work together,» calling it a «very good call» in a post on his platform Truth social.
«I told Governor Walz that I would have Tom Homan call him, and that what we are looking for are any and all Criminals that they have in their possession. The Governor, very respectfully, understood that, and I will be speaking to him in the near future. He was happy that Tom Homan was going to Minnesota, and so am I!» Trump continued in his post, writing, «We have had such tremendous SUCCESS in Washington, D.C., Memphis, Tennessee, and New Orleans, Louisiana, and virtually every other place that we have ‘touched’ and, even in Minnesota, Crime is way down, but both Governor Walz and I want to make it better!»
Walz subsequently indicated that President Trump had agreed during the call to consider pulling out some federal agents from Minnesota, so long as Minnesota leaders follow federal immigration detainers and ensure criminal illegal aliens in state custody are transferred to federal officials. Trump’s reported consideration to pull ICE officials out of Minnesota comes after Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey used harsh language, and sometimes expletives, to tell ICE to «get the f— out» of their city and state.
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Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers question a man about his status on Lake Street near Karmel Mall in Minnesota on Dec. 10, 2025. (Photo by Christopher Juhn/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Minnesota’s leaders, in particular those at the state’s Department of Corrections, have been going back-and-forth with the Trump administration over whether it adheres to federal immigration detainers for illegal immigrants caught by police committing crimes. The Trump administration has claimed Minnesota officials’ do not adhere to federal immigration detainers, leading to illegal alien criminals being released back onto the streets, but the state’s Department of Corrections has challenged that assertion, arguing it does adhere to ICE detainers.
Fox News Digital reached out to Homeland Security for comment about concerns the Trump administration was «backing down» and was referred to the White House.
«The Trump Administration remains committed to removing the worst of the worst from American streets – including in Minnesota – and President Trump wants to work with local leaders to get public safety threats out of their communities,» White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson told Fox News Digital. «Democrat leaders must stop inflaming tensions and providing sanctuary to dangerous criminal illegal aliens. The Trump Administration will always enforce the law and do what’s best for the American people.»
Numerous congressional lawmakers on both sides of the aisle were also contacted, asking whether they thought Trump’s potential decision to pull federal agents from Minnesota was «backing down» and whether it might embolden the left in other cities, but none returned comment in time for publication.
«If I were President Trump, I would almost think about, OK, if the mayor and governor are going put our ICE officials in harm’s way and there’s a chance of losing more innocent lives, or whatever, then maybe go to another city and let the people of Minneapolis decide: Do we want to continue to have all of these illegals?» Rep. James Comer, R- Ky., said on Sunday.
Federal law enforcement agents detain a demonstrator during a raid in south Minneapolis, Minnesota. An Oklahoma man is charged with threatening to kill ICE agents, «MAGA Republicans» and politicians, the Justice Department said Wednesday. (Getty Images)
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Amid news of federal agents potentially pulling out of Minnesota, questions began swirling about the status of top Border Patrol official Gregory Bovion, who was tapped by the Trump administration to lead Border Patrol’s large-scale operations like the one occurring in Minnesota.
«Chief Gregory Bovino has NOT been relieved of his duties. As press secretary Leavitt stated from the White House podium, Gregory Bovino is a key part of the President’s team and a great American,» Assistant DHS Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said Monday.
But multiple federal sources confirmed to Fox News’ Bil Melugin that Bovino’s position called «Commander of at large operations» has now ended for him. He will now return to his prior duties leading border security efforts in California’s El Centro sector.
Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, will be traveling to Minnesota soon to continue the border security efforts there in place of Bovino.
Fox News’ Bill Melugin contributed to this report.
immigration,minneapolis st paul,minnesota,deportation,tim walz,donald trump
INTERNACIONAL
Temporal en Estados Unidos: se espera más aire ártico en ciudades cubiertas de hielo y con cortes de energía
Cuando una gigantesca tormenta invernal se abatió sobre el noreste y partes del sur de Estados Unidos, durante el fin de semana, Lisa Patterson planeó quedarse en la casa de su familia en Nashville.
Pero después de que ella y su esposo se quedaran sin electricidad, los árboles cayeran sobre su entrada y su estufa de leña no bastara para las temperaturas gélidas, la pareja y su perro tuvieron que ser rescatados y llevados a un refugio con calefacción.
«He estado atrapada por la nieve allí durante casi tres semanas sin poder subir y bajar por mi entrada debido a la nieve. Estoy preparada para eso. Pero esto fue sin precedentes«, expresó Patterson.
La familia fue una de muchas en Tennessee y otras partes del sur que han acudido a refugios con calefacción mientras las cuadrillas trabajaban para restaurar la electricidad a cientos de miles de hogares ante una nueva oleada de aire ártico que se esperaba que provocara temperaturas heladas el martes en lugares ya cubiertos de nieve y hielo.
Se han reportado al menos 30 muertes en estados afectados por el frío severo, incluyendo dos personas atropelladas por quitanieves en Massachusetts y Ohio, accidentes fatales de trineo que mataron a adolescentes en Arkansas y Texas, y una mujer cuyo cuerpo fue encontrado cubierto de nieve en Kansas. En la ciudad de Nueva York, las autoridades dijeron que ocho personas fueron encontradas muertas al aire libre durante el gélido fin de semana.
La tormenta había dejado más de 30 centímetros de nieve a lo largo de una franja de 2.100 kilómetros desde Arkansas hasta Nueva Inglaterra, deteniendo el tráfico, cancelando miles de vuelos y provocando el cierre generalizado de escuelas el lunes. El Servicio Meteorológico Nacional dijo que las áreas al norte de Pittsburgh recibieron hasta 50 cm de nieve y enfrentaron sensaciones térmicas de hasta -31 grados Celsisus desde el lunes por la noche hasta el martes.
Se pronostican temperaturas récord de frío más generalizadas para el martes, con advertencias de frío extremo desde el este de Texas hasta el oeste de Pensilvania, según el Servicio Meteorológico Nacional. En Kentucky, el gobernador Andy Beshear advirtió que las temperaturas podrían ser tan frías que apenas 10 minutos fuera «podrían resultar en congelación o hipotermia».
Y los meteorólogos dijeron que es posible que otra tormenta invernal golpee partes de la costa este este fin de semana.
En la madrugada de este martes todavía había más de 550.000 clientes sin electricidad en el país, según poweroutage.com. La mayoría de ellos estaban en el sur, donde las ráfagas de lluvia helada del fin de semana rompieron ramas de árboles y tendidos eléctricos, causando cortes paralizantes en el norte de Mississippi y partes de Tennessee. Las autoridades advirtieron que podría llevar días restaurar la electricidad.
En Mississippi, el gobernador Tate Reeves dijo el lunes que al menos 14 hogares y 20 carreteras públicas sufrieron daños importantes tras la peor tormenta de hielo del estado desde 1994. La Universidad de Mississippi canceló las clases durante toda la semana ya que su campus en Oxford permanecía cubierto de hielo peligroso.
La ciudad de Nueva York vivió su día más nevado en años, con vecindarios registrando de 20 a 38 cm de nieve, lo que obligó al sistema de escuelas públicas más grande del país a cerrar.
Mientras tanto, un frío intenso siguió a la tormenta. Las poblaciones del medio oeste, sur y noreste despertaron el lunes con temperaturas bajo cero. Se pronosticó que los 48 estados contiguos tendrían su temperatura mínima promedio más fría desde enero de 2014, -12,3 ºC.
Nathan Hoffner envió a su hijo de cuatro años a quedarse con su mamá después de que su casa de alquiler en Nashville perdió electricidad el domingo al mediodía. Él y su compañero de cuarto se abrigaron con ropa y varias mantas durante la noche y para la mañana siguiente la temperatura dentro de la casa había caído drásticamente.
«Veía mi aliento en la casa», comentó Hoffner.
INTERNACIONAL
North Korea launches short-range ballistic missiles into sea, show of force ahead of political meetings
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North Korea is flexing its muscles and firing short-range ballistic missiles toward its waters ahead of a major political meeting.
South Korea’s military detected the launches of several ballistic missiles from an area northeast of Pyongyang, North Korea, adding that each missile flew approximately 217 miles, The Associated Press reported.
Meanwhile, the Japanese Defense Ministry said that two ballistic missiles launched from North Korea and landed off the coast of the Korean Peninsula, according to the AP.
These launches represent the first time North Korea fired weapons since testing hypersonic missiles in early January, the AP noted. In December, the country tested long-range strategic cruise missiles and new anti-air missiles and released photos of the apparent construction of a nuclear-powered submarine, which would be the first of its kind for Pyongyang, the AP reported.
NORTH KOREA TEST-LAUNCHES HYPERSONIC MISSILE SYSTEM IN FRONT OF KIM, NATION SAYS
A TV screen shows a file image of North Korea’s missile launch during a news program at Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
The missile launches come as the ruling party prepares to hold its first full congress in five years, according to the AP, which cited state media. So far, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has met with other top officials to prepare for the meeting. The top-level meeting will reportedly be used to set new political and economic priorities as the U.S. and South Korea seek renewed talks with North Korea.
In this photo provided by the North Korean government, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un delivers a speech during a ceremony marking the completion of a first-stage modernization project at the Ryongsong Machine Complex in North Korea on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)
NORTH KOREA RELEASES IMAGES OF DEVELOPMENT OF NUCLEAR-POWERED SUBMARINE
The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), which is controlled by the North Korean government, reported in December that Kim presided over a plenary meeting of the Workers Party’s Central Committee in which participants discussed issues related to the party congress and this year’s state policies, the AP reported. The outlet noted that Kim revived the congress in 2016 after a 36-year hiatus.
President Donald Trump, left, meets with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, right, at the North Korean side of the border at the village of Panmunjom in the Demilitarized Zone, on June 30, 2019. (Susan Walsh/AP)
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Additionally, North Korea recently accused South Korea of carrying out surveillance drone flights across the border. Seoul has denied operating drones during the times Pyongyang specified and said it began investigating the possibility that civilians sent them.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
world,north korea,south korea
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