The Iranian regime is facing a potential existential crisis, according to Omid Nouripour, Vice President of the German Bundestag and a prominent voice on Iranian affairs. Speaking to “Bild”, Nouripour painted a bleak picture of a nation teetering on the brink, fueled by escalating protests and mounting internal pressures. He characterized the current situation as facing an imminent “explosion” citing a collapsing currency, a dwindling middle class and rampant corruption and mismanagement as critical factors driving public discontent.
The violent response of the government to these protests, with multiple casualties reported, has only exacerbated the instability. Nouripour, drawing on his personal background as an Iranian native, warned that the near-term future remains highly unpredictable, encompassing a range of scenarios from an eventual democratic transition to a potential military coup orchestrated by the Revolutionary Guards.
Adding political urgency to the situation, Nouripour is calling for a significant shift in the EU and German government’s approach to the Revolutionary Guards. He sharply criticized past hesitance, noting the CDU’s long-standing calls for the designation of the Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist organization, previously presented as a simple matter and now urged for immediate action. Placing the organization on the EU terrorist list, he argues, would represent a crucial step in applying pressure on the regime.
The escalating tensions have also attracted international attention. US President Donald Trump issued a warning Friday, pledging American support should the Iranian government resort to violence against protestors – a pledge swiftly rebuffed by Tehran, which emphatically denied any tolerance for foreign interference. The prospect of US intervention, coupled with the internal pressures Nouripour highlights, raises the stakes significantly and underscores the precarious balance facing Iran and the international community. The potential for both internal collapse and external entanglement remains a significant concern.
