Iran has entered what senior officials privately describe as a “survival situation,” according to a new report by The New York Times, as nationwide protests enter their second week and continue to intensify.
The report says that top Iranian officials are holding what were described as “feverish discussions” behind closed doors, reflecting growing panic at the highest levels of the regime. Demonstrations, clashes, and acts of defiance have spread across multiple cities, stretching the regime’s security forces and exposing deep internal fractures.
According to the report, advisers to President Masoud Pezeshkian have urged him to shift responsibility for the crisis away from his government and place it squarely on Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Such advice is highly unusual in Iran’s rigid power structure and signals mounting concern that the regime may soon need a scapegoat if the situation continues to deteriorate.