Article: Reuters
Iran’s clerical leadership is facing its largest anti-government protests since 2022, driven initially by rising prices and economic hardship. Amid growing unrest, U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened possible intervention if Iranian authorities use force against demonstrators, saying the U.S. stands “ready to help.” In response, Iran’s Parliament Speaker warned that any U.S. attack would prompt retaliation, with U.S. and Israeli military bases and assets deemed “legitimate targets.” The death toll has risen significantly, and authorities have intensified crackdowns, including mass arrests and an internet blackout, while Tehran accuses the U.S. and Israel of fomenting the unrest.
Before the protests of the Iranian leadership, which escalated from protests of Iran’s soaring prices, tensions between Iran and Israel erupted. In June 2025, Israel, in cooperation with the United States, attacked and obliterated Iran’s Nuclear sites. Not only did it affect their legitimacy in its ability to protect its people, but it also affected them economically, as U.S.-led sanctions have tightened as a result of their nuclear program. To understand why, consider that Iran is a rising regional power in the Middle East with considerable influence. The problem for the U.S. and Western powers is that Iran spews anti-Western ideology that explicitly rejects American influence in the region. It’s therefore no surprise that Iran’s allies, such as Hezbollah in Iran, have also been substantially weakened. Yet despite Iran’s recent losses, they still proclaim the enemy is the U.S and its zionist allies, and threaten Western bases and ships if these powers get implicated in protests. However, Trump has posted on social media and spoken heavily about his intent to insert the U.S in the conflict. By enabling Iranians access to the internet through Starlink, the U.S is signaling to both protesters and Iranian elites that regime collapse would be supported. As president Trump has already signaled, the U.S may escalate further through Military strikes, secret cyber weapons, and further widening sanctions.
Iran will increasingly respond to Western powers with threats despite its inability to defend itself. Furthermore, Iran will attempt to end the protests by detracting from the situation in days of mourning and celebration. Iran is also externalizing blame to convert economic anger into nationalist loyalty, a strategy common in sanction-hit regimes. However, it can’t undo the conflict that has already resulted in over 500 confirmed civilian deaths. If the United States enters the conflict, it will do so by using hard power swiftly against the Iranian regime, thereby assisting the Iranian people in overthrowing Ayatollah Ali Hosseini Khamenei and his regime. If it doesn’t work out, Iran will be at least significantly weakened.
In class, we learned about hard and soft power. The U.S., in collaboration with Elon Musk’s Starlink, is using soft power to provide internet access to Iranians. Additionally, the U.S. is threatening hard power through military strikes, cyberattacks, and economic sanctions. We also learned about hegemons. The U.S. is global hegemony as it has asserted its influence globally to push its own interests and ideology.