The Kabul Tribune (KT) — Reuters has reported that Iran’s leadership is increasingly concerned that a potential U.S. military strike could reignite anti-government protests and threaten the country’s ruling system, according to six current and former officials.
The report states that in high-level meetings, senior
officials warned Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei that public anger
following last month’s crackdown — described as the bloodiest unrest since the
1979 Islamic Revolution — has reached a point where fear may no longer deter
protesters. Four officials briefed on the discussions said many Iranians could
be prepared to confront security forces again, particularly if external
pressure such as a limited U.S. strike emboldens them.
One official told Reuters that Iran’s adversaries are
seeking renewed protests to destabilize the Islamic Republic and that a
combination of foreign military action and domestic unrest could risk the
collapse of the ruling system. The sources spoke on condition of anonymity due
to the sensitivity of the matter.
Reuters noted that these reported private concerns contrast
with Tehran’s public defiance toward both protesters and Washington. Iran’s
Foreign Ministry did not immediately comment on the report.
The news agency previously reported that U.S. President
Donald Trump is weighing options that could include targeted strikes on Iranian
security forces and leadership figures, even as some regional officials argue
that air power alone would not topple Iran’s clerical establishment.
Former senior Iranian officials and opposition figures have
also warned that “boiling public anger” could threaten the system’s survival.
Analysts cited by Reuters say that although the streets are currently calm,
frustration over economic decline, political repression and corruption remains
deep.
Tensions between Tehran and Washington remain high,
particularly after the recent deployment of a U.S. aircraft carrier to the
region. Both sides, however, have also signaled openness to renewed diplomacy
over Iran’s nuclear program.
