NEWSLINE PAPER,- Many Iranians, worried about the possible effects of war on their faltering economy, are against the alleged careless acts of the elite Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), which fired over 300 missiles and drones on Saturday night.
Several Iranian activists, both domestic and foreign, denounced the IRGC's activities and reiterated their opposition to war promotion in a written letter to BBC Persian.
Many Iranians feel that rather than being a real reflection of the aspirations of the Iranian people, the present Iran-Israel confrontation is actually being managed by the Iranian leadership.
Tehran's robust police force highlights the tight Islamic clothing regulations for women covering their hair, which many people think are more about putting an end to possible demonstrations.
Targeting the command centers of the IRGC and Iranian security forces in a battle with Israel and the US, according to some leaders, may lead to large-scale protests similar to those that occurred in 2022 after a lady died while being held by the police.
Graffiti in Iranian cities invites Israel to target the home of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. As per another letter, "Israel attacked them, they do not have the bravery to respond."
A propaganda billboard in Tehran says, "Our battle is fought in Tel Aviv, not Tehran."
The Islamic Republic supporters celebrated immediately following the IRGC attack, and a sign warning Israelis that "the following strike will be stronger" was put up.
"Economic stability as a demonstration of Iran's strength" was emphasized. While the journal Arman-e Emrouz noted a global attempt to ease Middle Eastern tensions, the newspaper Vatan-e Emrouz described Sunday's UN Security Council meeting that Israel called as a night of loneliness for Israel.
Online supporters of the Islamic Republic have begun posting material with the Persian hashtags #punishing_the_aggressor and #we_made_them_regretful.
Still, a barrage of unfavorable remarks under the Persian-language X hashtag #IRGCterrorists have surfaced, demanding that Western countries declare the IRGC to be a terrorist organization and paying tribute to protestors who were purportedly killed by the IRGC and other security forces during the 2022 national demonstrations.
Popular former football player Ali Karimi, who now lives abroad, posted a photo of his hands joined with the Israeli flag and an earlier iteration of the Iranian flag that was in use before to the Islamic revolution of 1979.
We identify as Iran, not the Islamic republic, he stated.