Regional and Domestic Tensions in Iran: From Missile Threats to Political Divisions
According to Alhurra, Tehran claims the ball is in Washington's court regarding the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, while US Secretary of State Marco Rubio described Iran's conditions as "absurd." Mohsen Rezaei, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, threatened that US bases in Europe would be targeted in the event of an attack. Domestically, Hossein Shariatmadari has insisted on strict hijab enforcement, a stance that has faced widespread criticism. Furthermore, a protest by women in shrouds outside the IRGC headquarters, demanding retaliation, has sparked rare negative reactions even in conservative media. Meanwhile, local elections have been postponed, and an IRGC official claimed that missile production in Iran is now more dependent on domestic capabilities than the Persian carpet industry.