The protest against Iran’s collapsing economy quickly escalated, turning into a nationwide revolt against the country’s authoritarian rule. Since Dec. 28, tens of thousands of citizens have taken to the streets to join the demonstrations. In response, the Ayatollah regime has met them with violence; some reports estimate that the crackdown has resulted in a death toll as high as 20,000. Lily Meschi, director of Iran Alive Ministries, noted that protests occur every few years in Iran. However, she said, these recent demonstrations have been far more violent than those in the past.