Iran International
A radical vigilante group leader in Tehran has suggested that Iran should carry out an operation against the United States similar to its missile attacks on Israel last year.
The conservative Tehran-based website Tabnak quoted Hossein Allah-Karam, leader of the vigilante group Ansar Hezballah, as saying that US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cannot follow through on their threats against Iran.
Tabnak described Allah-Karam as a political science professor at the University of Tehran and quoted him as asserting that Trump has failed to back his threats against Hamas. He concluded, “His other threat about bombing Iran if we do not sign a paper for him also cannot materialize.”
The hardline figure further claimed, “Trump’s performance has forced the United States and Israel to kneel before Gaza.”
He added, "We have achieved this with the capabilities we already have, so why should we challenge ourselves by opting to upgrade our capabilities?" This was perhaps a veiled reference to producing nuclear weapons and more potent ballistic missiles.
Allah-Karam’s remarks align with recent statements from Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and some IRGC commanders suggesting Iran is prepared for conflict with Israel.
In a recent speech, Khamenei called for upgrading Iran's ballistic missiles. Meanwhile, IRGC deputy commander Ali Fadavi said on Monday that a third direct attack on Israel will happen in due course. "Operation True Promise 3 will occur at the right time," Fadavi said.
Fadavi made these remarks in response to statements by Israeli and US officials regarding Iran’s perceived weakness, as well as Trump’s threat that Israel would bomb Iran if Tehran refused to negotiate with the United States over its controversial nuclear program.
He stated, “Not a single day has passed without the world's evildoers—the Great Satan, America, and its allies—waging war against us.”
Reformist political commentator Ahmad Zeidabadi warned on Telegram that "Netanyahu has already made preparations for attacking Iran in the coming months." He appeared to be referring to Trump's backing of the plan, possibly alluding to the shipment of US-made bunker buster bombs to Israel and stationing of US B-52 bombers somewhere in the region.
Zeidabadi added that "all official statements and both direct and indirect remarks from Israeli and US officials suggest that such an attack is imminent." He cautioned that "while it might be a limited strike, its consequences could be extremely destructive and uncontrollable."
On Monday, Canadian-based military analyst Houshang Hassanyari and German-based political analyst Ali Sadrzadeh, both Iranian-born, stated on Iran International TV that the Islamic Republic appears to be preparing for war against Israel. Both analysts agreed that Iranian officials and military commanders' claims about the country's military capabilities are based on illusion rather than reality.
Hassanyari warned that "the Islamic Republic is under a dangerous illusion. Khamenei believes his forces can defend Iran and deliver heavy blows to Israeli and US forces. Even if he is not actively planning a war against Israel, his rhetoric is pushing Iran toward one."
He added that Iran lacks strong military capabilities and is destined for a major defeat in any war. If a conflict with Israel breaks out, the United States will undoubtedly intervene to support Israel.
Sadrzadeh, however, expressed skepticism about the likelihood of war. "I do not believe Iran is preparing for a war with Israel, as its commanders and top officials must have at least a basic understanding of their forces' limitations. US officials say Iran has no effective air defense, and as far as I know, Tehran no longer has allies or strategic depth in the Middle East."
He also noted that the situation has changed since the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s. Given the protests in Iran in recent years, it is inconceivable that Iranians would rally behind Khamenei’s idea of war against Israel.
The rial has depreciated by approximately 50% against the US dollar since September, a sharp decline that is expected to further drive up Iran’s already high inflation by increasing the cost of both domestic production and imports.
Iran’s hardliner-dominated parliament (Majles) appears determined to impeach Economy Minister Abdolnasser Hemmati and push Pezeshkian to dismiss Central Bank Governor Alireza Farzin. Energy Minister Aliabadi is also on the impeachment list, facing scrutiny over his ministry’s failure to secure adequate fuel for power plants during the winter months.
Amid Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s repeated calls for unity within the government and his criticism of discord between the president and parliament, lawmakers held a closed-door meeting on Tuesday to brief Pezeshkian on the rial’s depreciation—despite the president already being well aware of the deeper causes of Iran’s chronic economic crisis.
“The Majles has vowed to hasten Hemmati’s impeachment if he and Pezeshkian fail to convince parliament that they are taking effective action to address the crisis and improve people’s livelihoods,” Iranian media quoted parliamentary officials as saying on Monday.
Media outlets in Tehran, including Khabar Online, reported that while the primary reasons for the motions against Aliabadi and Farzin are power shortages and rising exchange rates, respectively, some in parliament may also be pushing for their removal due to their ties to former President Ebrahim Raisi’s administration.
Pezeshkian has faced repeated criticism from the media for reinstating officials from the previous government. Given this, it is easy to conclude that he might not oppose their dismissal, as it could help project the appearance of the much-sought "change" in his administration.
However, Hemmati presents a different challenge. His outspoken approach, as demonstrated in the past, has the potential to create problems for both parliament and the president. During Raisi’s three-year tenure, he frequently criticized the government's economic performance, making him a persistent and vocal opponent.
Analysts and commentators in Iran have long argued that chronic inflation and declining economic indicators stem from US sanctions imposed since 2018 and the state-controlled nature of the economy. While officials occasionally attribute economic hardships to sanctions, they more often emphasize Iran’s ability to circumvent them through innovative measures. Less frequently discussed, however, is the country’s unique and intertwined political-economic system, which fosters monopolies and enables corruption among insiders.
Regarding Aliabadi’s case, Pezeshkian has acknowledged that he himself bears responsibility for the fuel and power shortages, admitting to mistakes in assessing the issue.
Hemmati, meanwhile, has partly attributed the rial’s decline to "regional developments." However, according to Khabar Online, most Iranian media outlets place the blame on Pezeshkian and his appointment of ultraconservatives to key positions as the main drivers of the country’s financial and energy crises.
The Rouydad24 website has noted that Trump's return to power has intensified Iran’s economic crisis. It reported that his renewed threats of "maximum pressure" on Tehran have contributed to rising exchange rates and soaring gold prices in the Iranian market.
Fathollah Tavassoli, a member of the Majles economic committee, insisted that "those pushing for Hemmati’s impeachment are independent MPs" and that the move is not driven by political or factional motives. However, another lawmaker, Mohammad Mehdi Shahryari, countered that "hardliners are pressuring independent MPs to support the impeachment motion."
So far, 89 lawmakers out of 290 have signed the motion—far exceeding the 10 signatures required for the Majles presidium to proceed with impeachment.