U.S. and Israel airstrikes fail to weaken Iran's regime control, officials say — The Washington Post

Investing.com — According to The Washington Post, based on briefings from European and Arab officials assessing the stability of the Iranian regime since the conflict began, the ongoing airstrikes by the U.S. and Israel have not weakened Iran’s control.

Officials stated that Iran was well-prepared for this conflict. The command structure designed to withstand a “decapitation” strike remains largely intact, allowing Iran to launch retaliatory attacks against Israel, Qatar, and Bahrain within hours of the initial strikes. Since the conflict started, residents in Iran have reported increased security forces on city streets, with Basij military units patrolling on motorcycles.

According to these officials briefed to The Washington Post, despite the extensive damage caused by the airstrikes, assessments from Europe and Arab countries indicate no significant defections or popular uprisings within the regime. An individual familiar with the situation revealed that U.S. intelligence agencies also did not detect any signs of rebellion or defection in the early stages of the operation, requesting anonymity due to the ongoing actions.

“There are no signs of collapse or defection within the system. Nothing at all. Completely intact,” a senior European official said during a briefing on the latest assessment of the Iranian government’s strength, also requesting anonymity. “Control is absolute,” the official added. The official acknowledged reports that security forces may have failed to respond on time but believed this was likely due to orders to cease concentrated patrols at camps and barracks to avoid becoming targets.

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