JERUSALEM, Israel – Protests are intensifying across Iran as the regime faces mounting unrest at home and a powerful signal from the U.S. abroad, following the collapse of a key Iranian ally in Venezuela.
Demonstrations in Iran are entering their second week, fueled by soaring prices and deep frustration with years of international isolation. Protests have spread to more than 220 locations across most of Iran’s provinces, including the capital, Tehran, as the Islamic Republic’s economy continues to unravel.
Iran’s currency has plunged into free fall, with the rial now trading at more than a million to one U.S. dollar.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei dismissed the unrest and issued a warning as security forces moved to contain the demonstrations.
“We talk to protesters; the officials must talk to them. But there is no benefit to talking to rioters. Rioters must be put in their place,” Khamenei declared.
According to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, at least 19 people have been killed and more than 990 arrested, underscoring the growing volatility facing the regime at a moment of heightened international pressure.
That pressure is now being amplified beyond Iran’s borders. The weekend capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife in a surprise U.S. nighttime operation adds to the regime’s concerns.
Venezuela has long served as a critical lifeline for the Mullahs, allowing the regime to bypass sanctions to fund its armed proxies in their war on Israel. Hezbollah in Lebanon has also benefited by using Venezuela to raise funds through criminal and narcotics ties.
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After returning from meetings with President Trump in Florida, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the operation.
“We congratulate President Trump on his decision, and we also salute the American military forces who carried out a perfect operation. We know how to appreciate something like that,” Netanyahu remarked.
The prime minister also confirmed Iran’s nuclear program was central in his talks with Trump.
He announced, “We reiterated our common position of zero enrichment and the need to remove the 400 kilograms of enriched material from Iran and to monitor the sites with close and real supervision.”
Venezuela’s now acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, delivered a combative address on Saturday, suggesting that Israel played a role in the decision to launch the U.S. operation against her country.
She asserted, “The governments of the world are simply shocked that it is the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela which is the victim and subject of an attack of this nature, which has, without a doubt, a Zionist tint.”
Rodriguez demanded the Maduros’ release and accused Washington of targeting Venezuela’s energy resources. She ordered troops to be deployed across major cities.
For Iran, the fall of Maduro comes at a moment of deep internal unrest, stripping the regime of an overseas lifeline just as its economy falters and protests spread nationwide.
