[AdmSmith]

Iran Crisis Update, March 8, 2023

The Iranian regime has validated CTP’s previous assessment that it is using the recent chemical attacks to set conditions to securitize the country ahead of major national holidays.
The regime's threatening posture has not yet deterred protest activity nor silenced the population into compliance.
Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) began constructing 500 prefabricated residential units near Aleppo International Airport on March 6, which the PMF may use to establish long-term housing for its troops.
At least six protests occurred in three cities across three provinces on March 8.

https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/iran-update-march-8-2023

[AdmSmith]

Iran Crisis Update, March 9, 2023

The Iranian regime likely assesses that it is losing its cultural campaign for Iranian women. The regime is determined to win its cultural campaign by intensifying indoctrination efforts, however. President Ebrahim Raisi and other regime officials are focusing on coopting Iranian women rather than addressing the Iranian people’s real concerns.
Several protest groups appear to be trying to challenge regime efforts to securitize Iran ahead of the upcoming national holidays.
At least one protest occurred in one city across one province.
Iranian Foreign Affairs Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian met separately with senior Syrian and Turkish officials ahead of Syria-Turkey normalization talks scheduled in Moscow in the coming weeks.
An OSINT Twitter account posted satellite imagery on March 9 of an Iranian over-the-horizon radar system allegedly deployed to an unspecified location in Syria.
The Iraqi parliament delayed a vote on the Shia Coordination Framework-backed election law.

https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/iran-update-march-9-2023