Fears of a renewed protest movement in Iran amid concerns of a US attack

British news agency Reuters has been told by six current and former Iranian officials that the Iranian leadership is increasingly concerned that a potential US attack could encourage Iranians to take to the streets again after nationwide protests last month. Four current officials, aware of the discussions, said that in high-level meetings, officials have informed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei that public anger over the crackdown on protests has reached a point where fear is no longer a deterrent.

The officials revealed that Khamenei was told that many Iranians are now prepared to face security forces again and that external pressure, such as a limited US attack, could "embolden" them and inflict irreparable damage on the political system. The sources declined to comment on Khamenei's response. One official told Reuters that, in his words, "Iran's enemies" want more protests to bring an end to the Islamic Republic.

Another official, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the topic, said: "A possible attack, followed by fiery public demonstrations, could lead to the collapse of the ruling system. This is the biggest concern of the top officials, and this is what our enemies want." The significance of these statements lies in the fact that they point to the leadership's internal concerns, which contradict Tehran's public stance on the protesters and the US.

Last week, Reuters reported, citing multiple sources, that US President Donald Trump is considering various options against Iran, including attacks on security forces and the leadership, to energize protesters, although foreign officials have confirmed that air power alone would not be enough to topple the government in Tehran. Such an uprising following a US attack would be in contrast to the Iranian response after Israeli and US bombing of Iran's nuclear program in June, when anti-government protests were not seen.

However, a former senior official from the moderate faction said that the situation has changed since the protests were crushed in early January. He said that the public is now extremely angry and that a US attack could encourage Iranians to revolt again. In his words: "The wall of fear has been broken. There is no fear anymore." Tensions are escalating between Tehran and Washington. The arrival of a US aircraft carrier and its accompanying warships in the Middle East has increased the possibility that Trump could take military action if he chooses to, especially after his repeated threats to deal with protests in Iran.

Although Trump has not acted on his threats of intervention, he later called for concessions related to the nuclear program. Both sides have expressed willingness to revive diplomatic talks on the long-standing nuclear dispute. Several Iranian opposition figures, who were once part of the state system but later developed differences, including former Prime Minister Mir Hussein Mousavi, are warning the leadership that increasing public anger could lead to the collapse of the system.