IRAN CRISIS UPDATE, OCTOBER 17
The IRGC threatened Azerbaijan and Saudi Arabia for their alleged roles in stoking the ongoing, anti-regime protests.
The IRGC could use the troops it mobilized for the military exercise to violently suppress planned protests in northwestern Iran on October 20.
Anti-regime protests occurred in at least 10 cities in 9 provinces.
The New York Times reported that the regime may have deployed special forces from the IRGC Ground Forces in recent days to suppress protests in Tehran and other major cities.
Several reformist politicians proposed reforms to end the current crisis.
The Jerusalem Post reported that the IRGC is using members of Lebanese Hezbollah and Iraqi proxies to suppress protests in Iran, citing unidentified sources.
https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/iran-crisis-update-october-17
IRAN CRISIS UPDATE, OCTOBER 18
Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s refusal to concede on the mandatory hijab law is likely driving fissures among the political elite.
The ongoing crackdown demonstrates how heavily the regime has begun using advanced and emerging technologies to impose social control.
Anti-regime protests occurred in at least nine cities in eight provinces.
Worker strikes expanded to new locations and economic sectors.
Protest organizations called for demonstrations in West Azerbaijan, Ilam, Kermanshah, and Kurdistan provinces on October 19.
A Persian-language Telegram account posted instructions for protesters on how to use handguns.
Iran may attack Saudi Arabia in retaliation for the perceived Saudi role in stoking the protests.
https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/iran-crisis-update-october-18