WhatsappThe Iranian regime is losing control—and this time it is answering its own people with bullets.
What began as unrest in Tehran has now spread across the country: Hamedan, Karaj, Isfahan, Shiraz, Ahvaz, Mashhad, Zahedan, Urmia, Rasht, Khorramabad, and beyond. From central Iran to the periphery, reports describe the same response from authorities—riot police, Basij units, IRGC elements, and live fire.
Opposition-linked outlets and footage circulating online show security forces firing directly at crowds in several locations, including Tehran, Zahedan, and Ahvaz. Human rights monitors report multiple protesters killed and dozens wounded over the past days, with gunshot injuries confirmed by hospital staff speaking anonymously. In some cities, ambulances reportedly delayed access while security forces cleared streets.
The regime is not hiding its posture. Interior Ministry officials warned that “any gathering that threatens public order will be met with decisive action,” while state television accused protesters of acting as “tools of foreign enemies.” An IRGC-affiliated outlet went further, stating that “leniency toward rioters is betrayal.”
Yet the scope of the unrest tells a different story. These are not isolated flare-ups. They are simultaneous eruptions across ethnic, economic, and religious fault lines—Qeshm Island, Kermanshah, Yazd, Arak, Kuhdasht, Yasuj—a map that is lighting up faster than the regime can suppress it.
Israeli officials are watching closely. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly warned that “a regime that shoots its own people will not hesitate to threaten others,” while Defense Minister Israel Katz recently stated Israel is “prepared for any attempt by Iran to externalize internal collapse through regional escalation.”
Inside Iran, even reformist figures are uneasy. President Masoud Pezeshkian has urged officials to “hear the voice of the people,” but the gunfire tells the real story. The security state—not dialogue—is in charge.
This is the regime’s bind. Crack down harder, and the anger deepens. Look outward for distraction, and risk escalation. Either way, the moment is dangerous—not because Iran is strong, but because it is afraid.
