{"id":3594,"date":"2026-01-13T05:19:36","date_gmt":"2026-01-13T05:19:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/firearmupgrades.com\/?p=3594"},"modified":"2026-01-13T05:19:36","modified_gmt":"2026-01-13T05:19:36","slug":"threats-of-u-s-intervention-over-iranian-protests-test-tehrans-leadership","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/firearmupgrades.com\/?p=3594","title":{"rendered":"Threats of U.S. Intervention Over Iranian Protests Test Tehran&#8217;s Leadership"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<br \/><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Welcome back to World Brief, where we\u2019re looking at <strong>Iran<\/strong>\u2019s response to domestic protests, the Trump administration\u2019s pressure campaign on the <strong>U.S. Federal Reserve<\/strong>, and allegations of genocide against <strong>Myanmar<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<hr\/>\n<h3>Intervention or Negotiations?<\/h3>\n<p>After two weeks of mass anti-government protests, Iran\u2019s authoritarian regime is seeking to toe the line between escalating its bloody crackdown against the opposition and averting possible U.S. military intervention.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div data-nosnippet=\"\">\n<p>Welcome back to World Brief, where we\u2019re looking at <strong>Iran<\/strong>\u2019s response to domestic protests, the Trump administration\u2019s pressure campaign on the <strong>U.S. Federal Reserve<\/strong>, and allegations of genocide against <strong>Myanmar<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"newsletter-unit-signup--shortcode-fallback\">\n<h2 class=\"dek-heading\">\n                <\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/category\/world-brief\/\">Sign up<\/a>  to receive World Brief in your inbox every weekday.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<form data-shortcode-newsletter=\"world_brief\" class=\"newsletter-unit-signup newsletter-unit-signup--shortcode email-capture--step-1 newsletter-unit-signup--shortcode-world_brief\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-world_brief newsletter-shortcode-world_brief\">\n<div class=\"show-on-email-capture--signed-up hide-from-newsletter-subscriber newsletter-unit-signup--shortcode--container\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-unit newsletter-row\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-world_brief\">\n<h2 class=\"dek-heading\">Sign up to receive World Brief in your inbox every weekday.<\/h2>\n<p>\n                        <button class=\"button\">Sign Up<\/button>\n                    <\/p>\n<div class=\"grid--flex newsletter-world_brief newsletter-signup-container\" role=\"group\" aria-label=\"World Brief sign up form\" tabindex=\"0\">\n<div class=\"buttons\">\n<div class=\"hide-from-newsletter-subscriber privacy-policy-container\">\n<div class=\"privacy-policy-acknowledge\">\n<p><small>By submitting your email, you agree to the <a href=\"https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/privacy\/\" target=\"_blank\">Privacy Policy<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/termsofuse\/\" target=\"_blank\">Terms of Use<\/a> and to receive email correspondence from us. You may opt out at any time.<\/small><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\n    <label for=\"email-world_brief\">Enter your email<\/label><br \/>\n    <input type=\"email\" name=\"email\" class=\"hide-from-reg hide-from-sub\" id=\"email-world_brief\" aria-required=\"true\" required=\"\"\/><\/p>\n<p>    <button class=\"button button--signup \" data-newsletter-id=\"world_brief\" data-sourceid=\"In-article unit\" type=\"submit\"><br \/>\n      <span class=\"sign-up-text\">Sign Up<\/span><br \/>\n      <span class=\"loading-text\">Loading&#8230;<\/span><br \/>\n    <\/button>\n  <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<hr\/>\n<h3>Intervention or Negotiations?<\/h3>\n<p>After two weeks of mass anti-government protests, Iran\u2019s authoritarian regime is seeking to toe the line between escalating its bloody crackdown against the opposition and averting possible U.S. military intervention.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe are not looking for war, but we are prepared for war\u2014even more prepared than the previous war,\u201d Iranian Foreign Minister <a href=\"https:\/\/t.me\/Tasnimnews\/383095\">Abbas Araghchi<\/a> said on Monday, seemingly referring to Tehran\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/2025\/06\/12\/israel-iran-attack-us-nuclear-program\/\">12-day conflict<\/a> with Israel last June that also saw the United States launch military strikes on Iran\u2019s nuclear facilities.<\/p>\n<p>Protests first ignited on Dec. 28 over Iran\u2019s high inflation rate and <a href=\"https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/2026\/01\/09\/iran-protests-rial-currency-economy-crisis\/\">plummeting currency<\/a>, which trades at more than 1.4 million rial to $1. Fighting with Israel last summer <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/01\/12\/world\/middleeast\/iran-protests-trump-us.html?campaign_id=9&amp;emc=edit_nn_20260112&amp;instance_id=169149&amp;nl=the-morning&amp;regi_id=159637444&amp;segment_id=213526&amp;user_id=3a92aa035d8e7d51a6ba63375b87c152\">drained<\/a> the country\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/2025\/06\/13\/iran-military-leaders-killed-israel-irgc\/\">limited financial resources<\/a>, further compounding the economic hardships from years of U.S. and European sanctions.<\/p>\n<p>But the start of 2026 saw the demonstrations spiral into a <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/iran-protests-us-israel-war-nuclear-economy-53f2b79c8a0de827b1b8602ac9f0a57b?user_email=6b04284e4d00370f16d3dac0a626e01bf24d86e4d6995646867da6aa680488d0&amp;utm_medium=Morning_Wire&amp;utm_source=Sailthru_AP&amp;utm_campaign=Morning%20Wire%20Jan_12_2026&amp;utm_term=Morning%20Wire%20Subscribers\">larger movement<\/a> aimed at the Iranian regime, led by 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The government response has been brutal. In just 15 days, Iranian forces have killed nearly 600 people and detained around 10,600 others, according to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency. Although internet blackouts and cut phone lines have made exact estimates of the protests\u2019 size and geographical spread difficult, experts suggest that the protests are the most serious domestic threat the regime has faced since <a href=\"https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/2022\/09\/23\/irans-anti-veil-protests-mahsa-amini\/\">mass demonstrations<\/a> broke out in 2022 over the Iranian morality police\u2019s alleged killing of 22-year-old <a href=\"https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/2022\/11\/01\/iran-protests-gen-z-mahsa-amini-social-media\/\">Mahsa Amini<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Araghchi <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/global-development\/2026\/jan\/12\/iran-protests-crackdown-toll-foreign-minister\">insisted<\/a> on Monday that the situation in the country had \u201ccome under total control\u201d and accused Western powers of turning the peaceful protests \u201cviolent and bloody to give an excuse\u201d to intervene. Iranian state media on Monday showed large crowds of regime supporters rallying in Tehran and other cities, chanting \u201cDeath to America\u201d and \u201cDeath to Israel.\u201d Iran\u2019s attorney general has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/articles\/cm2jek15m8no\">warned<\/a> that anyone protesting against the government will be considered an \u201cenemy of God,\u201d which carries the death penalty in Iran.<\/p>\n<p>On Sunday, U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated his threat to militarily intervene to curb Tehran\u2019s repression campaign. \u201cWe\u2019re looking at it very seriously, the military is looking at it, and we\u2019re looking at some very strong options,\u201d Trump <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=RfIaJSdDnN0\">told<\/a> reporters aboard Air Force One. \u201cI\u2019m getting an hourly report, and we\u2019re going to make a determination.\u201d He added that he spoke to the \u201cleaders of Iran\u201d on Saturday to discuss potential negotiations, though he did not provide specifics.<\/p>\n<p>Araghchi has since said that Iran is also \u201cready for negotiations\u201d and has open communication channels with U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff.<\/p>\n<p>However, hawkish lawmakers in both the United States and Iran are pushing for harsher measures. On Sunday, U.S. Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham <a href=\"https:\/\/thehill.com\/homenews\/senate\/5684652-lindsey-graham-appeals-trump-iran\/\">told<\/a> Fox News that if he were Trump, \u201cI would kill the leadership that are killing the people.\u201d In a similar vein, Iranian parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf issued a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/business\/media-telecom\/trump-says-weighing-tough-response-iran-crackdown-says-tehran-called-negotiate-2026-01-12\/?utm_source=Sailthru&amp;utm_medium=Newsletter&amp;utm_campaign=Daily-Briefing&amp;utm_term=011226&amp;lctg=607f1056abd4f461f466319b\">grave warning<\/a>: \u201cLet us be clear. In the case of an attack on Iran, the occupied territories [Israel] as well as all U.S. bases and ships will be our legitimate target.\u201d<\/p>\n<hr\/>\n<h3>Today\u2019s Most Read<\/h3>\n<hr\/>\n<h3>The World This Week<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Tuesday, Jan. 13:<\/strong> British Prime Minister Keir Starmer hosts Polish President Karol Nawrocki.<\/p>\n<p>South Korean President Lee Jae-myung begins a two-day trip to Japan to meet with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Wednesday, Jan. 14:<\/strong> U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio hosts Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen and Greenlandic Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt.<\/p>\n<p>Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney begins a four-day trip to China.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Thursday, Jan. 15:<\/strong> Uganda holds a general election.<\/p>\n<p>Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni begins a three-day trip to Japan before traveling to South Korea.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Saturday, Jan. 17:<\/strong> The European Union-Mercosur trade deal is signed in Paraguay.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Sunday, Jan. 18:<\/strong> Portugal holds a presidential election.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Monday, Jan. 19:<\/strong> The World Economic Forum kicks off its annual conference in Davos, Switzerland.<\/p>\n<hr\/>\n<h3>What We\u2019re Following<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Fight at the Fed. <\/strong>The Trump administration has <a href=\"https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/2026\/01\/12\/trump-federal-reserve-chair-jerome-powell-investigation-markets\/\">ramped up<\/a> its pressure campaign against the U.S. Federal Reserve, with the Justice Department <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/politics\/donald-trump\/trump-denies-involvement-doj-fed-subpoena-jerome-powell-rcna253526\">issuing subpoenas<\/a> to Fed Chair Jerome Powell on Friday as part of an investigation related to Powell\u2019s testimony to Congress last summer regarding oversight of the multibillion-dollar renovation of the Fed\u2019s headquarters.<\/p>\n<p>In a rare public <a href=\"https:\/\/www.federalreserve.gov\/newsevents\/speech\/powell20260111a.htm\">statement<\/a>, Powell on Sunday said that the investigation \u201cis not about my testimony last June or about the renovation of the Federal Reserve buildings\u201d but rather \u201cis a consequence of the Federal Reserve setting interest rates based on our best assessment of what will serve the public, rather than following the preferences of the President.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is about whether the Fed will be able to continue to set interest rates based on evidence and economic conditions\u2014or whether instead monetary policy will be directed by political pressure or intimidation,\u201d Powell added.<\/p>\n<p>Trump has <a href=\"https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/2025\/09\/17\/fed-rate-cut-powell-trump-dollar-dominance\/\">repeatedly demanded<\/a> that Powell cut interest rates, claiming that the Fed\u2019s decision not to do so is hurting the U.S. economy. However, Powell maintains that current central bank policy is in the public\u2019s best interests. His refusal to bow to presidential demands has worsened his rift with Trump in recent months, leading the U.S. president to threaten to fire Powell despite the chair being <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/business\/finance\/trump-team-ramps-up-attack-feds-powell-with-criminal-indictment-threat-2026-01-12\/?utm_source=Sailthru&amp;utm_medium=Newsletter&amp;utm_campaign=Daily-Briefing&amp;utm_term=011226&amp;lctg=607f1056abd4f461f466319b\">legally protected<\/a> from such action.<\/p>\n<p>Trump on Sunday <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/politics\/donald-trump\/trump-denies-involvement-doj-fed-subpoena-jerome-powell-rcna253526\">denied<\/a> that the Justice Department subpoenas are meant to pressure Powell on interest rates.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Allegations of genocide. <\/strong>The International Court of Justice (ICJ) began public hearings on Monday in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/asia-pacific\/landmark-myanmar-rohingya-genocide-case-open-uns-top-court-2026-01-12\/?utm_source=Sailthru&amp;utm_medium=Newsletter&amp;utm_campaign=Daily-Briefing&amp;utm_term=011226&amp;lctg=607f1056abd4f461f466319b\">landmark case<\/a> accusing Myanmar of committing genocide against its mostly Muslim Rohingya minority. This is the first genocide case that the U.N.\u2019s top court is hearing in full in more than a decade, and it could have widespread repercussions for how <a href=\"https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/2022\/03\/24\/myanmar-genocide-rohingya-us-recognition\/\">allegations of genocide<\/a> are determined going forward, including concerning South Africa\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/2024\/02\/01\/south-africa-israel-gaza-genocide-icj-global-south-ukraine\/\">similar ICJ case<\/a> against Israel over its war in Gaza.<\/p>\n<p>Gambia has accused Myanmar of subjecting the Rohingya to the \u201cmost horrific violence and destruction one could imagine.\u201d At least 730,000 Rohingya have been <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/asia-pacific\/landmark-myanmar-rohingya-genocide-case-open-uns-top-court-2026-01-12\/?utm_source=Sailthru&amp;utm_medium=Newsletter&amp;utm_campaign=Daily-Briefing&amp;utm_term=011226&amp;lctg=607f1056abd4f461f466319b\">forcibly displaced<\/a> since Myanmar\u2019s armed forces launched its initial offensive in October 2016 before its larger one several months later.<\/p>\n<p>A U.N.-mandated independent fact-finding mission said in a <a href=\"https:\/\/docs.un.org\/en\/A\/HRC\/39\/64?_gl=1*ot23fr*_ga*MjEyMjA0MzMzOS4xNzY4MjUxNDM0*_ga_TK9BQL5X7Z*czE3NjgyNTE0MzMkbzEkZzEkdDE3NjgyNTIwNjYkajYwJGwwJGgw*_ga_S5EKZKSB78*czE3NjgyNTIwNjYkbzEkZzAkdDE3NjgyNTIwNjckajU5JGwwJGgw\">2018 report<\/a> that the mission had \u201cestablished consistent patterns of serious human rights violations and abuses\u201d as well as \u201cserious violations of international humanitarian law \u2026 principally committed by the Myanmar security forces, particularly the military.\u201d It recommended \u201cthat named senior generals of the Myanmar military should be investigated and prosecuted in an international criminal tribunal for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.\u201d Myanmar <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/news\/2026\/1\/12\/un-top-court-set-to-open-myanmar-rohingya-genocide-case\">denies<\/a> all allegations of genocide. The ICJ\u2019s hearings are expected to last three weeks.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Political asylum. <\/strong>Hungary <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2026\/jan\/12\/hungary-grants-asylum-to-former-polish-minister-zbigniew-ziobro-abuse-of-power-investigation\">granted<\/a> former Polish Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro asylum on Monday, widening the diplomatic rift between Budapest and Warsaw. \u201cI decided to take advantage of the asylum granted to me by the Hungarian government due to political repression in Poland,\u201d Ziobro <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/ZiobroPL\/status\/2010602293838635459\">wrote<\/a> on X, claiming that he is the subject of a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.eu\/article\/hungary-gives-asylum-nationalist-former-polish-justice-minister-zbigniew-ziobro\/\">witch hunt<\/a> orchestrated by Poland\u2019s pro-EU leader, Donald Tusk.<\/p>\n<p>When Poland\u2019s nationalist Law and Justice party was in power, Ziobro enacted changes to <a href=\"https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/2019\/10\/11\/poland-is-purging-its-prosecutors\/\">Warsaw\u2019s judicial system<\/a> that the EU said undermined rule of law in the country. Since Tusk took power in late 2023, Warsaw has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/former-polish-minister-ziobro-says-he-has-been-granted-asylum-hungary-2026-01-12\/\">sought to prosecute<\/a> Ziobro for allegedly misusing money allocated to help victims of crime, accusing him of instead spending the funds on <a href=\"https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/2023\/04\/12\/europe-spyware-abuse-pegasus-data-privacy-hungary-spain\/\">Pegasus spyware<\/a> and to target <a href=\"https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/2023\/10\/22\/poland-election-eu-pis-populism-tusk-duda-germany-ukraine-russia\/\">political opponents<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cA former justice minister fleeing the Polish justice system like a coward. A complete downfall!\u201d Polish cabinet minister Tomasz Siemoniak <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/TomaszSiemoniak\/status\/2010612700750217537\">wrote<\/a> on X on Monday.<\/p>\n<hr\/>\n<h3>Odds and Ends<\/h3>\n<p>As China grapples with <a href=\"https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/2024\/11\/28\/xi-jinping-demography-economic-crisis-china-economy\/\">population decline<\/a>, a new app is checking on the health of the country\u2019s citizens. \u201cAre You Dead?\u201d\u2014which requires users to check in every two days or else have their emergency contact notified\u2014has become the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ft.com\/content\/e92d62d4-26db-40f9-8d4e-a2a84c2e51ec\">most popular paid app<\/a> for Chinese Apple Store customers. The app is particularly popular among young people living alone (despite Beijing taking steps to promote <a href=\"https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/2025\/09\/18\/china-fertility-birth-rate-demographics-crisis\/\">marriage and birthrates<\/a>) and older adults without relatives nearby. And you thought <a href=\"https:\/\/webdesignerdepot.com\/the-art-of-duolingo-notifications-the-subtle-manipulation-of-language-learners\/\">Duolingo notifications<\/a> were threatening.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/2026\/01\/12\/iran-protests-currency-economy-us-military-intervention-trump\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Welcome back to World Brief, where we\u2019re looking at Iran\u2019s response to domestic protests, the Trump administration\u2019s pressure campaign on the U.S. Federal Reserve, and allegations of genocide against Myanmar. Intervention or Negotiations? After two weeks of mass anti-government protests, Iran\u2019s authoritarian regime is seeking to toe the line between escalating its bloody crackdown against [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3595,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-3594","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-politcical-news"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/firearmupgrades.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3594","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/firearmupgrades.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/firearmupgrades.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/firearmupgrades.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/firearmupgrades.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3594"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/firearmupgrades.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3594\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/firearmupgrades.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/3595"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/firearmupgrades.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3594"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/firearmupgrades.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3594"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/firearmupgrades.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3594"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}