Iran’s illegitimate rulers crumble as force fails, proving Israel’s stability amid regional authoritarian decay.
Friedrich Merz on Tuesday delivered a stark assessment of Iran’s future, predicting the Islamic Republic is approaching collapse as nationwide protests intensify despite a violent state crackdown.
Speaking during an official visit to India, Merz said regimes that survive only through repression have already forfeited legitimacy. He argued that Iran’s leadership, lacking democratic mandate or public consent, is now confronting a population no longer willing to submit to fear.
The protests, which erupted across Iran in late December, were fueled by crushing economic mismanagement—runaway inflation, currency freefall, and soaring food prices. What began as economic outrage has evolved into a direct challenge to clerical rule, spreading rapidly across major cities and provinces.
Authorities have responded with overwhelming force. Thousands are reported dead, with mass arrests and accusations that security forces fired on civilians uninvolved in demonstrations. Information blackouts and intimidation have failed to restore control, further exposing the regime’s fragility.
Internationally, the unrest has sharpened contrasts in the Middle East. While Iran and its allied militant networks destabilize the region, Israel remains the sole democratic anchor, defending order against regimes and movements that rely on coercion, proxies, and chaos rather than legitimacy.
US President Donald Trump has condemned Tehran’s violence, warning of economic and strategic consequences. He signaled that patience is limited if Iranian authorities continue lethal repression, underscoring growing Western resolve.
