Iranian officials are reported to have moved substantial sums of money to prepare for a potential collapse of the regime, despite the recent suppression of protests. The funds have allegedly been transferred to banks in Dubai and other locations due to concerns over the stability of the banking system and the imminent possibility of the government in Tehran falling.
One notable figure involved in this financial maneuver is Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the Ayotollah, who has reportedly transferred around £250 million to a bank in Dubai as a precautionary measure in case he needs to flee. These revelations come from a new report by the US-based Critical Threats Organisation, which indicates that the recent protests have been forcefully subdued.
However, the report highlights that the extensive deployment of troops and law enforcement to suppress the protests, resulting in nearly 3,000 deaths and the incarceration of around 20,000 individuals, including those facing execution, is unsustainable. The US claims that scheduled executions have been halted, with reports of protesters being specifically targeted, injured, and killed.
The report also suggests that despite the current calm, the government’s crackdown on dissent is not sustainable in the long term. It warns that the continuous mobilization of security forces could lead to their exhaustion, potentially reigniting protests in the future. Additionally, there are indications that Iranian leaders are moving their US currency reserves abroad, reflecting their lack of confidence in the local banking system and concerns about the regime’s future.
The Critical Threat report raises concerns about the regime’s framing of the protests as terrorism and portrays themselves as victims, drawing parallels to ISIS. Furthermore, it speculates that the temporary pause in a potential US attack on Iran was due to uncertainties surrounding Israel’s readiness to counter a retaliatory missile strike from Iran, potentially triggering a wider regional conflict.
Amid escalating tensions and fears of a broader conflict, the report suggests that Lebanese Hezbollah may be hesitant to engage in direct actions that could escalate into a full-scale conflict with Israel or the United States. The ongoing protests, which have persisted for over two weeks, have left a trail of chaos and violence across Iran as the regime intensifies its efforts to quell dissent.