Protests, Seizures, and Exercises

Iran is facing a challenging dynamic with the convergence of internal anti-regime protests, sparked by a declining currency, and the potential for outside military intervention. The United States has indicated a possible response to any bloody crackdown, a threat Iran's leadership takes seriously given past US actions like the killing of Qassem Soleimani and strikes on its nuclear facilities. Meanwhile, the recent US capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has unsettled Russian political elites, who condemned the action as an encroachment on sovereignty.