Israeli Officials and Figures Support Iranian Protests Against the Islamic Republic

Danny Danon, Israel's representative to the United Nations, wrote in a message on social media platform X addressing Iranian protesters that the people of Iran have peacefully taken to the streets despite being deprived of 'basic rights', adding: 'We hear your voice' and 'We stand with you.' He stated that while 'millions struggle to survive', the Islamic Republic government 'wastes billions of dollars on terrorism and nuclear ambitions.' Over the past three days, several official and semi-official accounts linked to Israel on social media have openly supported the widespread protests of Iranians. The Persian-language account of the Israeli Foreign Ministry on X published a message stating: 'The people of Iran are tired of this regime and the collapsed economy' and emphasized that 'Israel has always stood by the people of Iran.' An Israeli minister, in a photo shared on X, wore a red hat with the slogan 'Make Iran Great Again' and expressed support for 'the right of the people of Iran to a better future.' Additionally, former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, in a video message to Iranian protesters, stated that the people of Iran have a 'glorious past' and can have an 'even more glorious future', adding: 'All free nations of the world stand with you and your just struggle.' Some organizations and activists close to pro-Israel lobbies, including accounts like AIPAC, have recently reiterated that the people of Iran 'bear the burden of a repressive and adventurous regime' and deserve support in their quest for freedom and prosperity, although the primary focus of these accounts remains on U.S. policy and Israeli security. Several activists and analysts close to Israeli circles and supporters of the country on X, by resharing reports related to the protests in Iran, have called for broader Western support for the protesters and in some cases even discussed the idea of 'supporting attacks on the Islamic Republic's missile infrastructure' following the escalation of protests. The fourth day of the new wave of protests in Iran passed while the unrest continued in various cities, and citizen journalists documented the repression of citizens by government forces and gunfire directed at protesters in cities like Fasa and Kuhdasht. These gatherings, which were initially sparked by a sudden jump in the dollar and gold coin prices in the Tehran market, have continued with overthrowing political slogans and direct clashes in the streets. The Islamic Republic's efforts and tactics to reduce the protests to issues of inflation and financial problems, the reactions of American and international officials to the protests of the Iranian people, the joining of students from various universities in Iran to anti-government protests, and the majority of the House Foreign Affairs Committee stating: 'The people of Iran deserve better than this incompetent and corrupt regime' have all been notable. The fourth day of protests in various cities in Iran saw gunfire from repressive forces directed at protesters, and the U.S. State Department's support for the protests in Iran: 'If courage were a picture...' On the third day of protests in various cities in Iran, students chanted: 'Death to Khamenei.'