“The protests that erupted late last year have shaken elements of the Iranian government.”, — write: www.unian.ua
The protests that erupted late last year have shaken elements of the Iranian government.
Amid protests, Iran’s economy is historically weak / Collage: UNIAN, photo: screenshot from videoU.S. President Donald Trump has received several reports from U.S. intelligence agencies that indicate a weakening of the Iranian government, several people familiar with the information told The New York Times.
The paper notes that reports indicate that the power of the Iranian government is at its lowest level since the overthrow of the Shah in the 1979 revolution.
The protests, which erupted late last year, are said to have shaken elements of Iran’s government, particularly as they spread to regions of the country that officials saw as strongholds of support for Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The article states that although the protests in the country have stopped, the government remains in a difficult position. Intelligence reports have repeatedly highlighted that, aside from the protests, Iran’s economy is historically weak.
The paper shared that when the demonstrations spread in January, the Iranian government found it had few options to ease the financial hardships families were experiencing. Therefore, the officials resorted to harsh repressions, which further alienated broad sections of the population.
At the same time, the US military is increasing its forces in the region, but it is not clear what steps the Trump administration may consider.
“President Trump is constantly receiving information about intelligence from around the world. Not receiving regular reports on these issues would be a violation of the duties of the head of state. As for Iran, President Trump continues to closely monitor the situation,” White House press secretary Caroline Levitt said.
Trump has warned that he may strike Iran because of the Iranian government’s brutal crackdown on protests in the country. However, the publication shared, his advisers were divided on the merits of the strike, especially if it would be only a symbolic strike against elements of the government involved in suppressing the protests.
The article points out that Trump appears to have backed away from any immediate strikes in support of the protests after the Iranian government canceled a planned execution of a protester.
Moreover, according to a senior American official, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also asked the US president to postpone the attack on Iran.
At the same time, there are those who believe that now there is an opportunity to overthrow the country’s leadership. At the same time, Trump continues to threaten the use of force, calling the buildup of naval forces in the region an “armada.”
South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham said the U.S. goal is to “end the regime” as the threat of executions against protesters remains relevant.
“Maybe they’ll stop killing them today, but if they’re in power next month, they’ll kill them then,” Lindsey Graham said.
Trump also reminded Iran of the possibility of strikes on the most fortified nuclear and research facilities and emphasized that he was closely monitoring their actions.
Iran and the USA: the latest newsEarlier, UNIAN reported that the US Navy uses the AUSS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier near Iran. It is located in the so-called “Box” zone – a carefully calculated area in the northern part of the Arabian Sea. This zone is located approximately 240–320 km southeast of the Strait of Hormuz. If the US gives the order to start the operation, the aircraft carrier can make a quick breakthrough to the coast of Iran at a speed of more than 65 km/h. It is indicated that it is the ability to “hide far away – hit close” that makes the “Box” a key element of American military pressure in the region.
We also wrote that the human rights group Activist News Agency stated that the number of people killed during mass protests in Iran exceeded 4,000 people. In particular, they report 4,029 dead. Moreover, more than 9,000 deaths are pending. In addition, more than 26,000 protesters could be detained in the country. It is assumed that more than 5,800 people could have been injured. Iranian authorities have not released official figures on the death toll, only saying that “several thousand” people died.
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