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According to the report, concerns are growing within the Iranian leadership that a possible US strike could lead not to the consolidation of society, but to a new surge in mass protests and threaten the stability of power. Reuters reported this, citing six current and former Iranian officials familiar with the situation. According to sources, senior government officials warned Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in closed meetings that public discontent following the January crackdown had reached a critical level. The suppression of anti-government protests last month, the bloodiest since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, they believe, has destroyed the main restraining factor: fear.
The report stated that officials told Khamenei that a significant portion of the population is ready to confront security forces again, and external pressure, including even a limited US strike, could embolden the protesters. According to one source, the combination of external attacks and street protests could lead to the collapse of the ruling system, which is allegedly what the Islamic Republic's opponents are seeking. These admissions reflect underlying fears within the Iranian establishment and stand in stark contrast to Tehran's public rhetoric, which projects confidence and toughness toward both the protesters and Washington.
The report said that sources declined to specify how Khamenei responded to such warnings. Iran's Foreign Ministry did not respond to Reuters' request for comment. Concerns are growing amid discussions in the United States about possible action against Iran. Reuters previously reported that US President Donald Trump was considering targeted strikes against security forces and key regime figures to increase pressure on Tehran.
Meanwhile, Israeli and Arab officials have indicated that airstrikes alone are insufficient to overthrow the clerical regime. Former Iranian officials and opposition figures are also warning of growing public anger. Amid the January events, former Prime Minister Mirhossein Mousavi, who has been under house arrest since 2011, stated that the bloodshed of protesters would inevitably change the course of history and that society no longer accepts the existing system.
The report stated that officials told Khamenei that a significant portion of the population is ready to confront security forces again, and external pressure, including even a limited US strike, could embolden the protesters. According to one source, the combination of external attacks and street protests could lead to the collapse of the ruling system, which is allegedly what the Islamic Republic's opponents are seeking. These admissions reflect underlying fears within the Iranian establishment and stand in stark contrast to Tehran's public rhetoric, which projects confidence and toughness toward both the protesters and Washington.
The report said that sources declined to specify how Khamenei responded to such warnings. Iran's Foreign Ministry did not respond to Reuters' request for comment. Concerns are growing amid discussions in the United States about possible action against Iran. Reuters previously reported that US President Donald Trump was considering targeted strikes against security forces and key regime figures to increase pressure on Tehran.
Meanwhile, Israeli and Arab officials have indicated that airstrikes alone are insufficient to overthrow the clerical regime. Former Iranian officials and opposition figures are also warning of growing public anger. Amid the January events, former Prime Minister Mirhossein Mousavi, who has been under house arrest since 2011, stated that the bloodshed of protesters would inevitably change the course of history and that society no longer accepts the existing system.
