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International Protests break-out through Iran Michael Mammadov covers the recent political unrest
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throughout Iran
RAN’S Islamic Republic emerged in 1979, deposing the Iranian monarchy and establishing a theocratic framework that fuses elected institutions and clerical supremacy. While the system does include a presidency and parliament elected by popular vote, ultimate power resides in the Supreme Leader and the Guardian Council. Most of all, however, the IRGC retains a huge amount of power, both economically and militarily, as they act as the Supreme Leader’s private Praetorian Guard. Recently, huge protests have erupted, triggered by a dramatic currency collapse in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar, where the rial’s precipitous devaluation and inflation surging between 40 to 50 percent prompted living standards to drop dramatically and merchants to shutter their stalls. Exacerbated by international sanctions by the United States, fiscal mismanagement by the Iranian state itself and corruption, the demonstrations have swiftly come about, encompassing every aspect of Iranian society, but particularly present were students, labourers and ethnic minorities within Iranian border regions (such as the Kurdish minority within the country). Initial demonstrations that focused on the economic collapse have escalated into sweeping demands for the dismantlement of the current Iranian state and the Supreme Leader’s removal. Protestors decry not only economic deprivation but also the lack of democratic consent within the system, curtailed
liberties and the regime’s chronic failure to deliver on its founding pledge of equality and prosperity. This ferment echoes previous demonstrations, notably the 2022 ‘Woman, Life, Freedom’ movement, which arose from the death of Mahsa Amini. The backlash from the authorities have been uncompromising and draconian. Mobilising the IRGC contingents, they have resorted to using live ammunition and army assaults on their own citizens, leading to death tolls estimated at between 2,0002,600 and thousands being incarcerated. To stop the protests, a comprehensive internet blackout was also enacted on January 8th, obstructing the ability of the protestors to organise. Mr Khamenei has characterised the agitators as externally instigated insurgents acting on behalf of the United States. Internationally, the crushing of protests has elicited huge international condemnation and measures. Alongside the United Nations Security Council convening, the United States has repositioned a carrier strike group, led by the USS Abraham Lincoln, into the Middle East, hinting at American airstrikes against Iran. Whilst there have been multiple periods of protest, the current demonstrations seem to be the largest since the 1979 Iranian Revolution. However, without structural opposition from the IRGC, the Iranian state will likely be able to quell the dissent.
28 JAN 2026| EXEPOSÉ
INTERNATIONAL EDITORS:
Jed H. Gibbins Antoni Kałduński
Amsterdam aiport chaos
Jed H. Gibbins, International Editor, lays out how recent weather left hundreds stranded
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S we were all celebrating the start of the New Year, the Netherlands main airport, Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS), was bracing for a winter storm of a severity which the Netherlands had not seen in a decade. The storm brought with it high wind speeds, lots of snow and ice. Over the five days from Monday January 5th, to Friday January 9th, over thousands of flights were cancelled with it peaking on Wednesday January 7th with 800 flights cancelled. Schiphol airport is a major European connecting hub, which connects multiple regional European airports to international and long haul flights. This left thousands of people stranded in Amsterdam as KLM, the Dutch national airline carrier, and many other airlines such as British Airways an EasyJet, left passengers without carriage. This led to the overwhelming of local hotels with 1,000 passengers having to sleep in the airport. Schiphol was ill prepared for this storm, and ran out of deicing fluid for planes, causing KLM to take matters into their own hands sending Lorrie’s to Frankfurt Airport (FRA), Germany to collect deicing fluid to help get planes flying again. When KLM could get planes in the air, they sent larger
planes on short haul routes, such as a Boeing 787-10 to London Heathrow (LHR), a route usually operated with smaller aircraft like the Airbus A320/21 and smaller Embraer aircraft, to drop off and collect hundreds of stranded passengers. With ground handlers being so preoccupied with clearing snowy runways and deicing aircrafts, this greatly reduced operating ca-
WITH GROUND HANDLERS BEING SO PREOCCUPIED WITH CLEARING SNOWY RUNWAYS AND DEICING AIRCRAFTS pacity on top of the delays and cancellations. Exeter Airport (EXT) in particular was effected, as one of the eighteen UK airports flown to by KLM (more airports than the UKs national carrier, British Airways, flys to the UK) with cancelled flights nearly everyday from January 2nd to January 7th, with January 3rd flight being delayed by two-three hours arrival and departure.
Trump’s Venezuela Strategy Trump’s interest in Greenland Jasmine Wilson assesses the recent capture of Maduro and the reasons behind it
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T two am on Saturday 3rd January 2026 ‘Operation Absolute Resolve’ sent US forces into Venezuela to capture President Nicolas Maduro on suspicion of leading a drug cartel. Explosives struck the capital Caracas and Fuerte Tiuna military base, Maduro’s suspected location. The CIA and a source in the Venezuelan government had been following him for months for this information. 40 people were killed including soldiers and civilians as the attack wasn’t declared. Congress wasn’t informed ahead of time and Secretary of State, Marco Rubio only notified lawmakers after the attack began despite this being the most intervention seen from the US since the Cold War. In terms of international law, Trump’s actions were illegal, surpassing the bounds of presidential power. ‘Launching military action without congressional approval... is reckless’ stated leader of the Senate Chuck Schumer after Trump stated the US are in a state of war despite no congressional approval. If we step back into the history of the US and Venezuela and the importance of the country for Trump, then more questions about his motives for the invasion begin to come up with critics. In the early 20th century, Venezuela was the world’s leading oil exporter and in 2014 their oil price crash caused Maduro to enforce a more authoritarian government, prompting deeper US policy escalation and
sanctions. Because of this, the Trump administration no longer recognised Maduro as the legitimate leader of Venezuela, and this was the basis for his capture. Because Venezuela only makes up a small number of narcotics crossing into the US, it became clearer that the historically important crude oil under Venezuela was a factor in Trump’s invasion. Very quickly, Trump announced heavy US involvement with the oil meaning the US could have more leverage over Canada and Mexico who were reliant on the US for refinement of it. They would also be able to prevent Venezuela from providing oil to China, Russia and Cuba preventing their oil supplies causing a geopolitical shift in trade in oil. This deal with Venezuela suggests the Trump administration is in it for the money rather than the liberation of the Venezuelan people as they have also stated they are “going to run the country until such a time as we can do a safe... transition” and members of Trumps own cabinet including Rubio and defence secretary Hegseth are running the country with interim president Delcy Rodriguez who has oversight from the US. It is still unclear how long the US will oversee Venezuela but with the economic and geopolitical step up they can achieve from the oil deal, Trump is likely to occupy the country for as long as possible.
Charlotte Haswell discusses the US’ more agressive approach to Greenland
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S interest in Greenland has been apparent for many years due to its strategic geographic position and a wealth of natural resources; namely, oil. Being between mainland Europe and the US makes Greenland unique in its role in both security and maritime trade. Up until this point, relations between the US and Greenland have been relatively favourable, both are NATO members which should ensure some level of collaboration. US military presence has also been established in Greenland since 1951 with Image:Wikimedia Commons
the first US military bases built there for the purpose of the mutual protection of Greenland. Recently, however, the US has taken a much more aggressive approach. In 2019 Trump first attempted to gain control of Greenland in what he called a “large real estate deal”, of course the Danish government made it clear that Greenland was not for sale and that it is an established part of Danish territory. One would think that such a firm response would deter Trump, but of course when has Trump ever taken ‘no’ for an answer. His second term has been even bolder in his pursuit of Greenland, saying he “has to have it” regardless of whether the Danish Government wants to hand it over or not. Trump argues that the US requires Greenland for the purposes of security, particularly when it comes to Russia and China, he argues that if the US doesn’t take hold first, that one of them will. The effect of Trump’s rhetoric of course is that Denmark and other NATO countries are now preparing for the possibility of a US invasion. On the 15th news broke that European troops have been stationed in Greenland for this exact reason. While it is tempting to dismiss Trump’s words as overexaggerated, a US invasion is appearing to be more and more likely.