Iran Update, December 28, 2024
Iraqi Defense Minister Thabet al Abasi inspected Iraqi army units and border police at Rabia border crossing, along the Syria-Iraq border, on December 28.[39] Abbasi met with combat units, including the 71st Infantry Brigade (15th Iraqi Army Division). Abasi visited Rabia two days after Iranian-backed Badr Organization Secretary-General Hadi al Ameri inspected combat units at Rabia border crossing.[40] Abasi’s visit also follows Iraqi Prime Minister Shia al Sudani’s implicit threat that Iraq would intervene in Syria if the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) resurges and threatens Iraq.
The Iranian defense minister emphasized the Iranian armed forces’ preparedness for “hard war” and accused the United States and Israel of exacerbating regional instability, particularly in Syria.[41] Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Aziz Nasir Zadeh announced the commencement of armed forces exercises on December 28, stressing Iran’s readiness and determination to confront any external threats.[42] Nasir Zadeh stated that Iran has “no issues on the frontlines of hard war” and will persist in enhancing its power at all costs. The Iranian regime asserts that it faces three types of threats: soft, semi-hard, and hard threats. Hard threats, which Nasir Zadeh is referring to, involve conventional warfare.[43] Nasir Zadeh is a military aviator and former commander of the Iranian Artesh Air Force and Deputy Chief of the Armed Forces General Staff.[44]
The Iranian Armed Forces General Staff (AFGS) separately stated on December 28 accusing the United States and Israel of orchestrating the ongoing crisis in Syria, framing the situation as part of a broader geopolitical confrontation.[45] The AFGS emphasized Iran’s readiness, bolstered by public support, to decisively counter any aggression while reiterating its commitment to defending sovereignty and asserting regional power.[46]
https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/iran-update-december-28-2024
Iran Update, December 29, 2024
ootage circulating on social media showed protests at the Grand Bazaar in Tehran on December 29 in response to the worsening state of the Iranian economy.[64] Iran continues to face a severe energy crisis that has significantly limited Iran’s manufacturing capacity and shut down large parts of Iranian society.[65] CTP-ISW previously assessed that this crisis and the declining value of the Iranian rial could present a serious threat to regime stability by fueling anti-regime sentiment and generating internal unrest in Iran.[66] Iranian Judiciary Chief Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejei recently ordered Iranian security forces to prepare for potential unrest.[67]
https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/iran-update-december-29-2024