Iranian authorities have shifted their targets. Rather than seek a ceasefire with Israel, they’re tripling down on their own internal security crackdowns across the country. Alarm bells are sounding over possible infiltration by Israeli agents, Iranian ethnic separatists, and the People’s Mujahedin of Iran (MEK). In response, we are shifting our approach. The Iranian government is taking significant measures to prevent unrest, particularly in Kurdish regions that have historically shown opposition to the Islamic Republic.
This has not stopped the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) from recently clearing a swath through a vast industrial zone adjacent to their barracks. They closed significant highways in order to support military action. These protective measures highlight the regime’s fear of the danger it may face amidst this brewing storm of intensifying conflict. On the frontier with Pakistan, the IRGC has sent in troops and commanders to solidify control. Their stated mission is to keep terrorists out.
In Urmia, close to the Turkish border, authorities publicly hanged three Kurds. This horrific violence marks a deadly escalation in the government’s long-running crackdown. Human rights NGOs, including Hengaw, reported that all three executed were Kurdish. This is strong evidence of a deliberate, discriminatory policy directed at ethnic minorities. Hundreds have been arrested nationwide among thousands of nonviolent civil disobedience. Human Rights Activists News Agency reports that Iranian authorities have arrested at least 705 people on political or security charges since the latest war erupted.
The Iranian regime’s obsession with internal discord is a theme that’s especially hard felt in Kurdish regions. The Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (KDPI) has released a chilling account. They have reported that Revolutionary Guards units are being garrisoned in schools throughout the Kurdish provinces. Throughout this summer, they’ve felt the impact of an increased security presence. Checkpoints increasingly perform body searches, inspecting the contents of a person’s phone, passport, and ID.
We cannot forget that according to Amnesty International, most Palestinians arrested often face charges of spying for Israel. This obscure charge is giving the regime a deadly tool to deepen its crackdown against dissenters. Ribaz Khalili from the KDPI described the situation as dire, stating that Revolutionary Guards units are conducting house-to-house searches for suspects and arms.
Human rights advocates in Tehran are alarmed by the regime’s violent repression of the ongoing unrest. One activist stated, “We are being extremely cautious right now because there’s a real concern the regime might use this situation as a pretext.”
The Iranian government is moving preemptively to stifle whatever protests might arise. This strategy is a clear indication and direct response to the deepening and ongoing conflict with Israel. Even as regime authorities wage a new offensive against Kurdish and Baluch minorities—mostly Sunni Muslims—long opposed to the regime. This repressive move is an admission that they’re scared to death of the consequences of cracking their iron-fisted rule.
Iranian security forces continue to intensify their campaign of mass arrests. They’re doing this by increasing their visibility on the streets, particularly through checkpoints. This strategy aggressively suppresses any form of mass dissent. It severely restricts access to populations that could support opposition movements, either through solidarity or shared grievances.