Free Republic

Iran’s decision to launch ballistic missiles at Israel after months of ceasefire was not only a military message but also an attempt to demonstrate the new balance of power in Tehran. According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, the driving force behind the decision was Revolutionary Guards commander Ahmad Vahidi, who has emerged in recent months as a key figure within the Iranian regime. Vahidi prevailed over more moderate voices in Tehran who opposed the strike out of concern that it could damage contacts with the United States and jeopardize the possibility of an agreement. He persuaded Iran’s...

Iran's theocratic leadership took a big hit on Saturday, starting with the head goblin himself, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has now assumed room temperature. Our Townhall colleague Dmitri Bolt puts the number of regime bigwigs transformed into former regime bigwigs at over 40.So far, according to Israeli sources, the deaths include Ali Larijani, Khamenei's deputy, and Ali Shamkhani, a top security advisor. Other reported casualties among high-ranking figures include Esmail Qaani, head of the IRGC Quds Force; Mohammad Pakpour, the newly appointed IRGC commander; and Defense Minister Amir Nasirzadeh. However, Iranian officials have denied these reports.Iranian officials, we might note,...

Iranian-Americans in New York called the Islamic republic’s savage massacre of anti-regime protesters “heartbreaking” – as they anxiously wait to see what action President Trump takes to back demonstrators. The death toll from the protests that were sparked over Iran’s crumbling economy has reached more than 500 protesters as the government is accused of detaining more than 10,000 people – leading Trump to threaten US military force against the authoritarian regime. “Iranian government, you can’t trust them,” said a 61-year-old Great Neck man whose wife remains in Iran.