Ali Larijani, secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, has accused the U.S. of engaging in a pre-strike campaign to destroy the social fabric of Iran. He claims that the portrayal of the country as being in a “state of emergency” is itself a form of warfare. The Iranian government is bracing for a hybrid attack that combines economic sabotage, cyber warfare, and physical strikes to topple the regime from within and without.
Larijani has labeled the protesters as “terrorist-like” urban groups seeking to provoke a civil war. This rhetoric suggests that the government is preparing to use even more lethal force against its own citizens to prevent them from aiding any U.S. or Israeli assault. The government is bracing for a strike that would likely coincide with a massive coordinated uprising in major cities, a scenario the regime is desperate to avoid.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei has denied any secret talks with U.S. Envoy Steve Witkoff, signaling that the diplomatic path is officially closed. With no dialogue and a 60% inflation rate, the regime’s only strategy is to hunker down and prepare for the “regrettable response” it has promised. The Iranian government is bracing for a conflict that will test whether its security forces are more loyal to the leadership or to their starving families.