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Last Updated:June 15, 2025, 13:58 IST
The Iranian regime, part of the Axis of Resistance, is on the brink of collapse due to internal and economic failures
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. (AP file photo)
Amid the Israeli strikes, Iran is grappling with multiple internal crises, widespread domestic unrest and mass migration, according to intelligence sources.
The regime, part of the Axis of Resistance, is on the brink of collapse due to internal and economic failures.
Except for rhetorical support from the Houthis, Iran’s proxies have largely abandoned it, highlighting its isolation.
A look at the internal crises:
Nationwide protests have erupted over chronic water and power shortages. Blackouts have cost industries $20 billion annually, worsened by IRGC-linked Bitcoin mining diverting electricity from civilians.Hyperinflation has exceeded 50% for seven consecutive years, with the currency collapsing to 828,500 rials against one USD.Critical shortages of medicine, fuel, and electricity have eroded public trust.Protesters in 155 cities have been chanting ‘No Light, No Water, No Future’. Cement prices have surged 200% in three months, and unpaid bread subsidies have triggered baker strikes.IRGC-controlled conglomerates like Setad and Khatam Base dominate over 50% of the GDP. Public anger is fuelled by scandals, including a $3.7 billion fraud by Debsh Tea.Over 50% of voters boycotted recent elections, showing widespread disillusionment.Movements like ‘Women, Life, Freedom’ from 2022 persist despite crackdowns.Retirees, workers, and students routinely protest against unpaid wages and repression.IRAN WAS VULNERABLE WHEN ISRAEL STRUCK
IRGC Commander Hossein Salami and Armed Forces Chief Mohammad Bagheri were killed in precision strikes on their homes. Five senior nuclear researchers, including Fereydoon Abbasi, have been eliminated. The Natanz Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant, housing 1,700 centrifuges, was destroyed, and facilities in Fordow and Esfahan were damaged. Radars and missile launchers in Hamadan and Qom were obliterated, leaving Iran vulnerable to further strikes.
Ballistic missile attacks on Israel have been largely ineffective due to degraded capabilities. Hezbollah was dismantled by Israeli operations in 2024. Hamas is heavily degraded, and Syria cut ties after Assad’s fall, leaving only the Houthis with reduced capabilities.
Despite having the world’s second-largest gas reserves, Iran is mismanaged and unable to power its own cities, leading to school closures and industrial paralysis. Over 120,000 students fled abroad in 2025, with a return rate of just 1%. Professionals, minorities such as Jews and Baha’is, and activists are also leaving.
Moreover, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, at 85, has no clear successor. While President Masoud Pezeshkian is seen as weak, IRGC factions and clerics are vying for control, leaving the country in chaos.
Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18
Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18
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