from the rule of the jurisprudent (Velayat-e Faqih) to the rule — in-practice of the guardsman.

Tehran's most dangerous weapon is not a missile - it is a message, and it is aimed directly at Trump's base.

Coercion, Control, and Deterrence: Iran’s Strategy to Withstand Internal Unrest and External Threats

Iran is threatening regional escalation to deter a U.S./Israeli strike, warning neighbors they will be treated as combatants. At home, it is crushing protests via a total blackout and framing unrest as foreign terrorism to justify repression.

Khamenei frames the war as advancing the Resistance Front’s mission to dismantle and ultimately eliminate Israel.

Iran’s “Internal Debate” Is a Strategic Illusion Aimed at Preserving the Regime’s Revolutionary Trajectory