Iran is a large country composed o many different ethinc peoples. FR’s has had a bunch of posts in these protests. Hope someone comes up with detailed analysis of whats going on there.Including perhaps a map of these locations indicating where they are taking place and what group lives there
The many minorities in Iran have long been touch points for neighboring Intelligence Services, and have neighbors have long cultivated groups and assets for leverage against the Iranian regime.
The Saudis have hooks into the Arab minority, the Kurds have militias in the NW mountains (PJAK), Iraq long harbored MEK, Iran took in a couple of million Afghans, and Israel and the CIA have hand their hands in for decades.
The economy and currency are in a tailspin, and the population does not want the mullahs in charge. Given a free vote, they would vote the mullahs out. Iran has the most pro-US public opinion in the Middle East, after Israel.