By Armineh Sepahi
This is Mahan Mehrani, a social and political activist, human rights activist, interpreter and social worker, whose life completely changed after 8 and 9 January 2026, when large numbers of people took to the streets in cities across Iran. The protests were covered by international news organisations, including the BBC, CNN and Iran International.
People were facing rising prices, high inflation, difficult economic conditions and political restrictions. Many protesters were also calling for major political change and an end to the Islamic Republic..
These two days became one of the bloodiest periods of the protests. According to Amnesty International, most of the protests were peaceful, but security forces fired at protesters using firearms, including rifles and shotguns with metal pellets, and that thousands of people were killed. Thousands more were arrested following the protests.
At the same time, the internet was shut down across Iran from 8 January, and severe internet restrictions and disruptions continued for months. This made it difficult to access information and independently verify what had happened in Iran.
A 24-hour vigil
Ever since those fateful two days, a small tent opposite the Iranian Embassy in London has become part of Mehrani’s daily life. He has been holding a 24-hour sit-in there, protesting against the deadly crackdown.
Mehrani says he has been staying opposite the Iranian Embassy in London 24 hours a day since the events took place. He is now on the 263rd day of his sit-in. At the beginning of his protest, he even sewed his lips together to show his protest.
Mehrani says his aim is to be a voice for the people of Iran. He is asking the British government to close the Islamic Republic’s embassy, put the IRGC on the list of terrorist organisations and recognise Prince Reza Pahlavi as the leader of Iran’s transition.
Mehrani, who has been in the UK for “more than 20 years”, says the protest has completely changed his life. Before this, he had a normal life, but now he lives at the protest site 24 hours a day and faces difficult conditions, including cold, rain and bad weather.
In the audio interview, Mehrani says that one of the hardest experiences was being attacked with a knife by people he describes as extremists. He also claims that the Iranian government has threatened and put pressure on his family inside Iran to try to stop him. Mahan says he also lost his relationship during this time.
Video by Armineh Sepahi
Despite all these difficulties, he says he will not give up. “My family’s blood is no different from the blood of other families. Whatever difficulties I face here cannot be compared with the people in Iran who stood in front of bullets. I will stay here until the last day of my life,” he says.
During this time, media including Sky News, Daily Mail, Manoto (Iranian Media) and Iran International have covered his sit-in or spoken to him about his protest. Mahan says that despite this media attention, the change he is fighting for has not happened yet. He is also thankful for the support he has received from people in Britain, which he says has helped him to continue.
Every Saturday and Sunday, demonstrations are also held outside the embassy. Mahan helps organise and lead them, with Iranians gathering to support the protests and be a voice for people inside Iran.
Mahan says he will continue his protest until Iran is free and the Islamic Republic’s embassy in London is closed. He describes Iranians as the children of Cyrus the Great and says they have the right to live in a free and democratic country.
“We will fight, we will win, we will take our Iran back.”
Video outside the Iranian Embassy by Armineh Sepahi
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