An Iranian woman has published a video message on social media directly addressing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calling on him to support the ongoing protests against the Islamic Republic regime and to “keep his promise" to stand with the Iranian people.
In the video, shared widely online, the young woman, identified as Mata, appealed to Netanyahu and said that the Iranian people are now asking for the same solidarity they once expressed toward Israel. “You once promised that if we managed to rise up and fight, you would stand by us and support us," she said. “We hope with all our hearts that you will keep your promises and stand with us."
Mata added that she was speaking “with hope and trust," and stressed that young people in Iran are paying a heavy price for opposing the ayatollahs’ regime. “We ask for your support and your help, just as the Iranian people stood by you during the October 7, 2023 attack," she said. “We are facing very difficult challenges, and young people in our country are being killed by the Islamic Republic."
Her appeal comes amid widespread protests across Iran, driven primarily by soaring inflation, a sharp drop in the value of the national currency, and the rising cost of living. During demonstrations overnight, reports emerged of violent clashes between protesters and security forces. In the city of Shiraz, one protester reportedly used an improvised flamethrower against security forces, while in another incident, forces fired hunting rifles toward demonstrators.
According to an updated Israeli intelligence assessment reported over the weekend, the scale and intensity of the unrest pose a real threat to the stability of the Iranian regime and could potentially lead to its collapse. Israeli officials assess that the current wave of protests is broader than the unrest seen in 2022, crossing social classes, sectors, and geographic regions.
This latest wave of demonstrations, which began last week, is the sixth major episode of civil unrest in Iran in recent years. Unlike previous protests, it is being led in large part by the merchant class - a group that played a key role in the 1979 Islamic Revolution - raising further concern within the regime in Tehran.