Bruised, not broken: Iran’s regime shows no deep structural cracks — yet
One of the clearest indicators of regime vulnerability — namely defections among the elite or military positions — has not materialized yet.
TEHRAN — The Iranian regime has survived past unrest, but the scale and brutality of its latest crackdown, described by activists and rights groups as "massacres," mark a turning point likely to shape the country’s trajectory for years.
Thousands are believed to have been killed last Thursday and Friday alone, after security forces moved to ruthlessly crush anti-government protests that have been going on since Dec. 28.
While the precise death toll remains unclear amid an extended internet shutdown, testimonies and videos emerging from morgues and cemeteries, showing bodies piled up, suggest losses far exceeding official acknowledgments.
A security official told Reuters Tuesday that around 2,000 people were killed, including members of the security forces. The Washington-based Iran Human Rights organization has said estimates go beyond 730, while London-based Iran International television has put the figure at more than 12,000, citing anonymous official sources with access to confidential correspondence within Iran's top security establishment.
