Israel Calls for Uprising in Iran, but Fears a ‘Slaughter’
UGC via AP
Israeli officials are publicly encouraging people in Iran to challenge their government, while privately warning U.S. officials that such protests could lead to mass bloodshed, according to a U.S. diplomatic cable reported by the Washington Post.
The message, sent from the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem, states that senior Israeli leaders told American counterparts that Iran’s leadership appears firmly in control. They said the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps currently holds the advantage and indicated that if large-scale demonstrations broke out, protesters would likely be violently suppressed. According to the cable, Israeli officials warned that civilians who took to the streets could be “slaughtered.”
The discussion comes as Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s last shah, is urging Iranians to protest during this week’s Chaharshanbe Suri fire festival. At the same time, Iranian authorities are organizing counter-demonstrations and calling on citizens to burn effigies of U.S. President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to Al Jazeera.
Netanyahu recently addressed the Iranian public, saying they have a rare chance to remove the country’s ruling system and reclaim their freedom. President Trump also initially encouraged Iranians to protest, though he later acknowledged the serious risks such demonstrations could pose.
Despite their internal concerns about the potential for violent repression, Israeli officials have urged Washington to be prepared to support any large-scale uprising. They also described the ongoing joint U.S.-Israeli bombing campaign as a strategy to weaken Iran’s leadership and military structure. The Israeli Embassy in Washington said reducing Iran’s military capabilities benefits the broader international community.
However, analysts cited by the Washington Post caution that unarmed demonstrators could be caught in the middle of the conflict and used as leverage by competing powers. Some experts also say Israel may have overestimated how vulnerable Iran’s leadership would be following the killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. The war has now entered its third week, and there is still no clear indication of when it might end.
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