The US-Iran war: Iran's leadership losses, succession and protests

Key momentsthe most covered; every story is below

Who covered it, over timeindependent sources per week, by side

LeftCenterRight

Point at or tap a week to see its count by side.

Stories before June 28, 2026 come from archived pages, so who covered them is limited to the outlets we recovered for that period.

26% left · 55% center · 19% right of 197 independent sources among the outlets we track, across 54 stories.

Every storyoldest first

1. December 2025

   Dec 29– 30Protests erupt in Iran over currency’s plunge to record low6 articles · 6 independent sources

   2 left, 1 center, 2 right

2. January 2026

   Jan 1– 6At least 35 people have been killed and 1,200 detained in Iran’s economic protests - Boston News, Weather, Sports25 articles · 17 independent sources

   4 left, 7 center, 2 right
3. Jan 2– 5Trump threatens Iran as more protest deaths reported – DW35 articles · 22 independent sources

   2 left, 4 center, 11 right
4. Jan 6– 9Iran supreme leader signals crackdown coming as protesters are 'ruining their own streets' for Trump11 articles · 10 independent sources

   2 left, 3 center, 3 right
5. Jan 6– 13Iran Protests May Finally End The Regime36 articles · 25 independent sources

   5 left, 14 center, 2 right
6. Jan 6Security forces clash with protesters in Iran’s main market as at least 36 killed in demonstrations5 articles · 5 independent sources

   1 left, 1 center, 0 right
7. Jan 8– 13Protests escalate in Iran with little information getting in or out22 articles · 16 independent sources

   7 left, 5 center, 0 right
8. Jan 8– 10Internet service in Iran cut off or restricted as deadly protests reach a possible tipping point13 articles · 12 independent sources

   3 left, 2 center, 4 right
9. Jan 10Protesters in Tehran describe seeing “bodies piled up” in hospitals after crackdown by authorities5 articles · 5 independent sources

   0 left, 1 center, 2 right
10. Jan 11Iran warns US troops and Israel will be targets if America strikes over protests as death toll rises to 11624 articles · 19 independent sources

    3 left, 6 center, 4 right
11. Jan 11– 18Iranian official says verified deaths in Iran protests reaches at least 5,00012 articles · 10 independent sources

    5 left, 1 center, 2 right
12. Jan 11– 14Death toll from Iranian protests surpasses 2,000, activists say, as chaos recalls 1979 revolution41 articles · 25 independent sources

    6 left, 8 center, 6 right
13. Jan 11– 14Trump Cancels Meetings With Iranian Officials and Tells Protesters ‘Help Is on Its Way'42 articles · 27 independent sources

    2 left, 6 center, 10 right
14. Jan 12– 16Iran protest movement subsides in face of 'brutal' crackdown14 articles · 12 independent sources

    3 left, 4 center, 2 right
15. Jan 12Iran says 'prepared for war' as alarm grows over protest toll7 articles · 7 independent sources

    0 left, 2 center, 2 right
16. Jan 12– 13Trump has options to address Iran's killing of protesters, not all plans include military strikes5 articles · 5 independent sources

    0 left, 1 center, 3 right
17. Jan 14– 16Trump says Iran has called off execution of protesters amid fears for the fate of Erfan Soltani27 articles · 16 independent sources

    2 left, 3 center, 4 right
18. Jan 14Iran signals fast trials and executions for protesters as death toll in crackdown goes over 2,50023 articles · 17 independent sources

    1 left, 7 center, 2 right
19. Jan 17– 22Iran says 3,117 killed in protests, activists fear 'far higher' toll7 articles · 6 independent sources

    1 left, 0 center, 3 right
20. Jan 22– 27Activists say more than 6,000 people killed in Iran’s crackdown on nationwide protests16 articles · 15 independent sources

    3 left, 5 center, 2 right

21. February 2026

    Feb 1– 2Iran's supreme leader warns that any U.S. attack would spark 'regional war'19 articles · 15 independent sources

    5 left, 4 center, 2 right
22. Feb 12Deaths in Iran’s crackdown on protests reach at least 7,000, activists say6 articles · 6 independent sources

    1 left, 0 center, 2 right
23. Feb 28– Mar 1Who might replace Iran’s supreme leader? There’s no clear successor29 articles · 23 independent sources

    2 left, 8 center, 2 right
24. Feb 28– Mar 1Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader, is dead, Trump says210 articles · 74 independent sources

    12 left, 35 center, 22 right
25. Feb 28– Mar 1Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ruled Iran with defiance and brutality for 36 years. For many Iranians, he will not be revered7 articles · 5 independent sources

    0 left, 2 center, 1 right

26. March 2026

    Mar 1Iran vows revenge for slain supreme leader despite Trump threat6 articles · 5 independent sources

    0 left, 4 center, 0 right
27. Mar 4– 9Iran names Mojtaba Khamenei to succeed his slain father as supreme leader58 articles · 37 independent sources

    8 left, 14 center, 7 right
28. Mar 5– 11Iran selects Mojtaba Khamenei as its new Supreme Leader49 articles · 29 independent sources

    2 left, 8 center, 13 right
29. Mar 9What we know on the 10th day of the US and Israel’s war with Iran12 articles · 10 independent sources

    0 left, 1 center, 0 right
30. Mar 9– 13Iran’s new supreme leader is wounded and ‘likely disfigured,’ Hegseth says13 articles · 10 independent sources

    1 left, 2 center, 4 right
31. Mar 10– 12Iran's new leader threatens US In his first message10 articles · 9 independent sources

    3 left, 3 center, 2 right
32. Mar 17– 18Iran Confirms Killing of Security Chief Ali Larijani in Israeli Strike87 articles · 44 independent sources

    10 left, 16 center, 9 right
33. Mar 26Iranian naval commander Alireza Tangsiri killed in attack, Israel says7 articles · 6 independent sources

    0 left, 1 center, 4 right

34. April 2026

    Apr 6Iran war: Top intelligence chief killed in Israeli strike5 articles · 4 independent sources

    0 left, 0 center, 3 right
35. Apr 22Trump claims Iran’s regime is fractured. The reality is more complicated.6 articles · 6 independent sources

    0 left, 2 center, 0 right

36. May 2026

    May 26– 28Iranians are back online after a monthslong shutdown but face heavy restrictions15 articles · 13 independent sources

    2 left, 2 center, 2 right

37. July 2026

    Jul 2– 3Iran warns US, Israel against attacks ahead of funeral processions for Khamenei8 articles · 6 independent sources

    0 left, 3 center, 0 right
38. Jul 2– 5Iran begins dayslong funeral for the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, killed in war71 articles · 30 independent sources

    5 left, 9 center, 2 right
39. Jul 2– 4Iran: Dignitaries arrive for Ayatollah Khamenei's funeral32 articles · 19 independent sources

    4 left, 4 center, 2 right
40. Jul 3Powerful general in Iran emerges from hiding as Tehran prepares for Khamenei's dayslong funeral13 articles · 8 independent sources

    0 left, 2 center, 2 right
41. Jul 3Iran sends a defiant message to Trump with colossal funeral for slain Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei6 articles · 5 independent sources

    0 left, 1 center, 0 right
42. Jul 3Iran prepares for dayslong funeral for late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, killed in war6 articles · 3 independent sources

    1 left, 1 center, 1 right
43. Jul 4– 9Iran to bury slain Supreme Leader in culmination of mass funeral17 articles · 9 independent sources

    2 left, 4 center, 0 right
44. Jul 6– 8Funeral processions held in holy Iraqi cities for Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei13 articles · 6 independent sources

    4 left, 1 center, 0 right
45. Jul 6– 9Iran says millions are mourning Khamenei. That’s not the full picture8 articles · 8 independent sources

    1 left, 2 center, 1 right
46. Jul 7– 10Iran: Anti-US anger dominates Khamenei funeral ceremonies15 articles · 12 independent sources

    1 left, 3 center, 7 right
47. Jul 8Funeral prayers in Iraq for Iranian supreme leader commence after body arrives in holy city10 articles · 7 independent sources

    1 left, 1 center, 0 right
48. Jul 8Iraq's holy cities to host funeral processions for Khamenei9 articles · 7 independent sources

    0 left, 4 center, 0 right
49. Jul 9– 10Iran’s supreme leader missed his father’s momentous funeral – now what?9 articles · 9 independent sources

    0 left, 2 center, 0 right
50. Jul 9Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been laid to rest months after U.S. and Israeli airstrikes killed him6 articles · 5 independent sources

    0 left, 3 center, 1 right

51. August 2026

    Aug 5– 6Iran president says contact with supreme leader is 'very difficult'6 articles · 5 independent sources

    0 left, 1 center, 4 right
52. Aug 10Mohsen Rezaei appointed as secretary of Iran's top security body8 articles · 6 independent sources

    1 left, 0 center, 2 right
53. Aug 11Iran’s supreme leader elevates military veterans willing to confront the US8 articles · 7 independent sources

    0 left, 2 center, 0 right

54. September 2026

    Sep 2Trump: 'When are the Iranian people going to rise up and fight?'5 articles · 4 independent sources

    0 left, 1 center, 2 right