I’m Kian Sharifi, originally from Tehran, and I report on Iran and the wider Middle East for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. I’ve been covering Iran for RFE/RL and before that for BBC Monitoring for nearly 10 years.
What the Islamic Republic is experiencing now is the most serious crisis it has faced since it came to power in 1979.
Weeks of tension and a rapid military US buildup culminated in a joint US-Israeli operation against the Islamic Republic over the weekend. The strikes have been decisive, taking out Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several senior defense and security officials.
Unlike the war last June when it took Iran a good while to start retaliating, Tehran’s response came swiftly this time around. And the targets have been spread out across the region, from Iraq and Jordan to Persian Gulf states and even Cyprus.
Iran says it won’t negotiate with the United States, but President Trump says the campaign could last weeks.
An interim leadership council has been formed to assume Khamenei’s duties until a successor is named. But there are questions over how quickly Iran is willing to name one: Pick a new supreme leader too quickly and you make him an immediate target. Wait too long, and you risk the stability of the clerical system.
A lot is happening, and even more is at stake. I’ll be here all week to take your questions on developments in Iran! Looking forward to your thoughts!
Proof photo here
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