Iran president vows defiance as protests build against regime amid US military build up

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Anti-government protests are resurging acrossIran, with videos showing students chanting slogans against the regime as nuclear negotiations with the United States are set to resume on Thursday.

A video translated by Reuters showed demonstrators shouting “We’ll fight, we’ll die, we’ll reclaim Iran,” reflecting growing anger towards the country’s leadership.

Therenewed unrest follows monthsof frustration over economic hardship, repression and previous crackdowns, placing additional domestic pressure on the regime as talks unfold.Analysts say the convergence of protests at home, military pressure abroad and a stalled diplomatic track has hardened rhetoric on both sides rather than pushing them toward compromise.

Military members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in western Tehran, Iran.(Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

The Iranian regime, meanwhile, is striking a defiant tone.President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tehran would “not bow down” to pressure tied to nuclear negotiations, warning that external coercion would not change Iran’s stance, according to Al Jazeera.

His remarks come ahead of a new round of U.S.–Iran talks set for Thursday in Geneva, confirmed by Oman, which is mediating the discussions.The negotiations aim to address Tehran’s nuclear program amid rising regional tensions, though major disputes remain over enrichment limits, sanctions relief and the scope of any deal.

In a February speech analyzed by theFoundation for Defense of Democracies, Supreme Leader AyatollahAli Khameneiruled out abandoning uranium enrichment and rejected U.S.demands to include Iran’s ballistic missile program and regional proxy activity in negotiations.

The analysis, authored by FDD research analyst Janatan Sayeh and Iran Program Senior Director Behnam Ben Taleblu, noted that Khamenei has escalated attacks on Washington’s leadership, calling PresidentDonald Trumpa “criminal” for backing Iranian protests and circulating rhetoric likening him to a tyrant.

US POSITIONS AIRCRAFT CARRIERS, STRIKE PLATFORMS ACROSS MIDDLE EAST AS IRAN TALKS SHIFT TO OMAN

An exercise aimed at assessing readiness and rehearsing responses to security threats comes during a second round of talks.( Press Office of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps / Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Meanwhile, the United States hasexpanded its military presencein the Middle East while signaling force remains an option.The deployments have shaped both the tone and urgency of the negotiations, reinforcing that diplomacy is unfolding under the shadow of potential escalation.

Special envoy SteveWitkoff warned Saturday that Irancould be “a week away” from having “industrial-grade bomb-making material,” citing enrichment levels he said are approaching weapons capability.

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Iran Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei addresses the public on the occasion of the 47th anniversary of the Iranian Revolution, according to Iranian state television in Tehran, Iran, on February 9, 2026.(Iranian Leader Press Office/Anadolu via Getty Images)

“It’s up to 60%,” Witkoff said.“They’re probably a week away from having industrial-grade bomb-making material.” He made the remarks on “My View with Lara Trump,” describing the situation as dangerous and accusing Iran of violating President Trump’s “zero enrichment” red line.

U.S.officials have warned that failure to reach an agreement could trigger serious consequences, while Tehran has signaled readiness to retaliate if attacked, reinforcing the sense thatnegotiations are taking place under intensepressure.

Reuters contributed to this report.