Source: Foreign Policy
by Sina Toossi
‘It would be a mistake to view the protests across Iran that peaked on Jan. 7 and 8, and the subsequent brutal crackdown that killed at least 6,506 protesters, solely as a confrontation between state and society. Against a backdrop of economic hardship and political discontent, rival factions within the Islamic Republic have sought to steer, contain, or exploit unrest to advance their own agendas. The latest upheaval unfolded amid intense maneuvering inside the system, as competing power centers jockeyed over economic reform, foreign-policy direction, and control of the political field.” (02/19/26)