Raisi’s concerns are not just limited to his external front. Recently, Iranian soccer fans at Tehran’s Aryamehr Stadium refused to observe a minute of silence for the Revolutionary Guards killed in an Israeli airstrike on Iran’s consulate in Damascus. Instead, they protested by booing and blowing air horns, with some even shouting derogatory remarks about the Palestinian flag. This incident is not isolated and has occurred at previous football matches.
Many Iranians believe that the regime’s focus on destroying Israel is a way to divert attention from its oppressive actions against its own people. The regime’s crackdown, which has resulted in the deaths of hundreds of women, girls, and men, has sparked nationwide protests since September 16, 2022. The regime’s support for Hamas and its desire to keep Israel occupied allows it to deflect attention from its domestic issues and regional influence.
Despite Iran’s capabilities to launch rockets through proxies like Hezbollah, the recent incident at the soccer match signifies a shift in power dynamics in the Middle East. It highlights the divide between the Inclusion Network (countries like Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, UAE, Egypt, Israel, and NATO allies) and the Resistance Network (closed systems like Iran, Hamas, Hezbollah, Houthis, and Iran’s militias in Iraq) and Russia.
The events of Saturday have forced a recalibration within Iran and the Resistance Network, signaling a potential turning point in the region’s power dynamics.
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