With the resumption of the Gaza war following a brief and shaky truce, it has become evident that this conflict will persist much longer than the calculations made by the Iranian regime.
Initially, the regime aimed to divert attention from the explosive situation within Iranian society, creating a short-term crisis. It used this crisis to boost the morale of its forces and showcase the Basij in the media. However, as time passed, Iranian society demonstrated its unwillingness to support the regime’s intentions in the Gaza war, especially under the economic and social pressures they faced.
Shortly after the war resumed, individuals from various strata of Iranian society once again took to the streets to demand their rights. This further fueled disputes within the country’s political landscape. Critics emerged, with some regime officials, as usual, targeting Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and President Ebrahim Raisi.
The state-run daily, Etemad, published a document criticizing the government, where Mohammad Reza Ayatollahi referred to the regime’s interior minister as a ‘liar’ who committed a ‘great sin,’ demanding the minister’s impeachment.
Abdolnaser Hemmati, former Governor of the Central Bank, exposed the actual situation in the country by revealing the ‘printing of 500 trillion tomans of money, a 146% increase in food prices, and a 145% increase in housing.’ Questions were raised about the government’s claims, with individuals asking, ‘If numbers provided by the government are accurate, why is the livelihood situation in such a dire state?’ Concerns about embezzlement, rents, and the construction of towers funded by Sadegh Mahsouli from Tehran municipality rents also surfaced.
Even prominent figures who initially supported the government adopted a critical stance, threatening to express their dissatisfaction with the government using harsh language. They warned that if the economy didn’t change, bitter days lay ahead.
It became evident that even Raisi’s closest associates were withdrawing their support. Initially staunch supporters now faced unfulfilled promises and declining economic indicators under Raisi’s administration. They refused to stay silent and continue supporting a regime plagued by incompetence and poor performance.
While Khamenei had tolerated complaints about the economic situation and government corruption, the focus of critics shifted towards the regime’s warmongering and interference in the region’s countries.
Notably, this time the slogan ‘Our enemy is here, they are lying that it is America’ did not originate from the people but was expressed by the government media. State-run daily Setareh-e Sobh stated, ‘While Iranians condemn Israel’s crimes as an example of genocide, their main concerns revolve around economic, environmental, air pollution, traffic, high prices, and inflation.’ Some voices urged Khamenei to halt his sedition, proposing a ‘two countries’ solution and emphasizing that ‘supporting Palestine does not imply engaging in warfare.’
Rasoul Motjabnia, a member of the regime’s Expediency Council, accused Khamenei of exploiting the Gaza situation to suppress rival factions in the name of ‘cleansing.’ He criticized Khamenei for ‘handing over the country to stupid people’ like Raisi, labeling Khamenei’s interference in other countries as illegal. Motjabnia questioned the existence philosophy of the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC), stating that their interference in other countries is against the law.
Khamenei’s strategy backfired. The war in Gaza, intended to solidify its government and quell uprisings, has resulted in significant foreign policy setbacks, global disgrace, calls to blacklist the IRGC as a terror group, and internal protests against warmongering.
It is evident that the balance of power is now against Khamenei’s wishes and sinister plans. The time has come for Khamenei to pay the price for the consequences his regime has imposed on Iran, its people, and the region.
As Setareh-e Sobh aptly concluded, ‘The start of the war, like what Hamas did, seems pleasant at the beginning, but the continuation and outcome of the war are usually tragic.’
