Iran's Rulers Face Dual Crisis: Unrest at Home, Threats Abroad

• Iran's government is in "survival mode" due to growing domestic unrest and renewed foreign military threats, creating a complex challenge.
• Protests, initially sparked by economic grievances like soaring prices and currency collapse, have spread and now include direct calls to end clerical rule.
• President Masoud Pezeshkian admits "no ideas" for solving the crisis, while analysts point to US sanctions and entrenched corruption as root causes.
• External pressure intensified with US warnings of intervention, Israeli support for protesters, and a US military operation in Venezuela.
• Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei blamed foreign enemies for economic woes, while security forces have used force, resulting in casualties.

Why It Matters: Iran's leadership faces an unprecedented challenge from internal dissent and external pressure, threatening its future.