The Islamic Republic is in "survival mode," three unnamed Iranian officials told The New York Times in an article released on Sunday.
According to cited sources within the Iranian government, the country's leaders are struggling to handle the wave of protests sweeping through the country. This struggle has increased substantially following threats by US President Donald Trump on Friday, in which he said that America was "locked and loaded" to assist protestors if they were attacked by government forces.
After Trump's threats, Iran's Supreme National Security Council held an emergency meeting, where, the sources report, the possibility of military strikes was discussed. The meeting also focused on how to contain the protests with less violence to minimize public outrage.
President Pezeshkian acknowledges Iranian struggles
Over the course of the protests, the officials told The New York Times, senior officials had admitted that Islamic Republic was in 'survival mode', a sentiment echoed by President Masoud Pezeshkian repeatedly over the last few weeks in public statements, including on Thursday, when he said, "If we do not solve the problem of people's livelihood, we will end up in hell."
Pezeshkian also held emergency meetings during the protests, the officials reported. They claimed that, during the meetings, some advisors suggested he shift the blame for the country's economic struggles to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Ali Gholhaki, a hard-line pundit in Iran, said to The New York Times that a primary threat leading towards the Iranian government's downfall was the economic situation. "When the anti-riot police, security forces, and the military are struggling for their livelihood, the defense lines collapse.”
Protests in Iran began on December 28, 2025, as the currency collapsed amid surging prices, and businesses were forced to close. Since then, tens of thousands have taken to the streets.
Several demonstrators were confirmed as being killed by security forces using live fire, and a member of the Basij, a volunteer paramilitary force fiercely loyal to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, was also reported killed.
Mehdi Rahmati, an Iranian analyst who advises officials on regional strategy, told the report that he believes Iran's government lacks an understanding of the growing pressures on the country, both internally and externally.
“One theory is they are letting the protesters vent their anger because we are at an explosion point," he said.