After more than a month of targeted killings, Iran's leadership has adopted a new tactic to show it still has things under control. Senior officials have been walking openly on the streets among small groups of people gathered in support of the Islamic Republic, Reuters reported.
In recent days, Iran's president and foreign minister have separately mingled with groups of several hundred people in central Tehran. On Tuesday, state television broadcast footage of the two posing for selfies, talking to citizens and shaking hands with supporters gathered in public spaces.
According to insiders and analysts, these appearances are part of a measured effort by Iran's theocratic leadership to demonstrate resilience and authority - not just over the vital Strait of Hormuz but also over the population - despite a prolonged US-Israeli campaign aimed at "destroying"
An insider close to the hardline leadership said such public displays were intended to show that the Islamic Republic was "unwavering in the face of the strikes and maintaining control and vigilance" as the war continued.
The US-Israeli war on Iran began on February 28 with the assassination of longtime Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several top military commanders in a series of strikes that have since continued to target senior officials.
Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has not been seen in public since he took over from his father on March 8.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was removed from Israel's hit list as part of mediation efforts last month, led by Pakistan among others, to bring Tehran and Washington closer together for talks to end the the war.
Negotiations aimed at ending the war appear to have reached a dead end, as Tehran describes US peace proposals as "unrealistic". Against this backdrop, recent public appearances by President Masoud Pezeshkian and Araghchi appear designed to demonstrate defiance, if not a convincing show of public support.
A senior Iranian source said the public presence of the officials showed that "the rulers are not afraid of the targeted assassination of senior Iranian figures by Israel".
When asked whether the Iranian foreign minister or president were on any hit list, Israeli military spokesman Nadav Shoshani said on Friday that "he would not talk about specific individuals".
Evening rallies to demonstrate resilience
Despite the widespread destruction, Tehran appears emboldened by its survival after weeks of intense US-Israeli attacks, shelling of Gulf states where US troops are based, and demonstrating its ability to effectively block the Strait of Hormuz Strait.
On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump promised more aggressive strikes against Iran, without offering a timetable for an end to hostilities.
Tehran responded by warning the US and Israel that “more destructive, larger and more devastating“ attacks were “in the pipeline”.
Encouraged by religious leaders, supporters of the Islamic Republic take to the streets every night, filling squares to show loyalty even as bombs rain down across the country.
Analysts say the regime is also seeking to boost “political and reputational” the cost of the strikes at a time when civilian casualties deeply worry Iranians.
Omid Memarian, senior Iran analyst at DAWN, a Washington-based think tank, said the decision to send officials to the gatherings reflected a multi-layered strategy that included an effort to keep the regime’s core supporters in line at a time of intense pressure.
"The system relies heavily on this base; if its supporters withdraw from the public sphere, its ability to project control and authority is greatly weakened," Memarian said.
In statements to state television, people in the crowds expressed unwavering loyalty to the Iranian leadership; others opposed the bombing of their country regardless of politics; and still others had a vested interest in the system, including government officials, students and others whose livelihoods depended on it.
Hadi Ghaemi, director of the New York-based Center for Human Rights in Iran, said the authorities were "using such loyal crowds as human shields to raise the cost of any assassination attempts".
"By being in large crowds, they have a protection that would make Israeli-American attacks on them very bloody and would arouse sympathy around the world," he said.
Potential protesters avoid the streets at night
The Islamic Republic emerged after the 1979 revolution, supported by millions of Iranians. But that support has "dwindled" after decades of rule marked by corruption, repression and mismanagement, alienating many ordinary people.
While there has been little sign so far of anti-government protests that erupted in January and subsided after a deadly crackdown, the authorities have adopted harsh measures - such as arrests, executions and a large-scale deployment of security forces - to quell any sparks of dissent.
Human rights groups have warned of "summary executions" during wartime after Iran hanged at least seven political prisoners since the start of the conflict.
"Many potential protesters are frightened by the continued presence of armed men and aggressive crowds on the streets and mostly stay at home after dark," Ghaemi said.
Translated from English by Plamen Yotinski, BTA