Massive protests in Iran have reached a critical point, creating a real threat of overthrowing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. According to Bloomberg, more than 500 demonstrators have died in two weeks of unrest, and more than 10,000 have been jailed. An economic collapse and currency crisis have undermined trust in the authorities, turning local protests into a nationwide uprising that has engulfed hundreds of thousands of people — from the capital Tehran to dozens of other cities in the country with a population of 90 million.
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Bloomberg analysts warn that the success of the protests could dramatically change the global balance of power and trigger a surge in oil prices. Brent crude has already risen more than 5% to above $63 a barrel as investors weigh the risk of supply disruptions from OPEC's fourth-largest producer. Former CIA analyst William Asher called the current events in Iran “the most important moment since 1979,” when the Islamic Revolution overturned the regional balance of power.
The fall of the theocratic regime would be a major blow to Moscow’s allies. Putin has already lost Bashar al-Assad in Syria and Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela, and now Iran could be next. US President Donald Trump has openly warned of the possibility of military action against Tehran, saying that America could “hit very hard where it hurts” if the repression of civilians continues. US commanders have already presented him with options for strikes, and Trump himself has stressed that “the military is looking at this issue, and we are looking at some very strong options.”
World leaders and investors are closely monitoring the situation, as the fall of the Islamic Republic could be an event that will change geopolitics and energy markets for decades to come.
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It was previously reported that Iran is unhappy with how Russia is helping it in response to the supply of “shaheeds”.
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