The Change in the Tone of the Islamic Republic in 'Response to Israel's Attack'; 'Pot Turnover' Replaces 'Hard Revenge'

While Israel has attacked the interests of the Islamic Republic in Syria and Iraq more than ten times over the past six months, killing at least 20 members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), it seems that officials of the Islamic Republic have distanced themselves from harsh rhetoric and 'hard revenge,' emphasizing the 'necessity of restraint.' This change in language and tone was evident in the speeches of representatives of Ali Khamenei during Friday prayers on April 6 in various cities. Ahmad Alamolhoda, Khamenei's representative in Razavi Khorasan, who in December 2020, in response to the assassination of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, the former Deputy Minister of Defense, had said, 'Restraint means sit back and let them hit you more,' stated on April 6: 'In punishing the enemy, we should not act hastily and must listen to the wise leader's guidance because we all know that a decision will be made that has no other outcome than the destruction of Israel.' Mohammad Mehdi Hosseini Hamadani, Khamenei's representative in Alborz, also referred to the killing of several Quds Force commanders in the attack on the Islamic Republic's consulate building in Damascus, saying: 'Our enemies think that if we have strategic patience in some areas, we do not know how to fight and intend to pressure officials with anti-imperialist sentiments to act against the enemies.' Hassan Ameli, Khamenei's representative in Ardabil, also commented on the demands of the regime's supporters for revenge against Israel, saying: 'We should not decide on revenge from Israel out of emotion. There is no doubt about the necessity of revenge, even the most severe revenge, but it must be achieved based on comprehensive thought.' Lotfollah Dehghani, Khamenei's representative in Fars province, also referenced the attack on the Islamic Republic's consulate building in Damascus, stating: 'Israel made a mistake that it is currently regretting and will regret.' Mohammad Ali Abtahi, head of the office of Mohammad Khatami, the former reformist president, reacted to this 'retreat' of Khamenei's appointees, writing on the social media platform X: 'It was interesting that in the special bulletin for Friday prayer leaders, it was written that this week everyone should say that there is no rush for revenge against Israel, and everyone said it. How frustrated the revolutionary youth who have heard the previous sermons of these Friday prayer leaders must be.' Concurrently with the 'soft' stance of Khamenei's representatives in Friday prayer sermons, the regime's leaders also followed this formula and called for restraint among supporters of the Islamic Republic regarding revenge against Israel. Hossein Salami, the commander of the IRGC, warned in a speech at the Quds Day ceremony in Tehran: 'We warn that no action from any enemy against our sacred system will go unanswered. Israel is accessible and exposed, and they know what will happen.' The IRGC commander had previously threatened the U.S. on September 20, 2020, regarding the revenge for the assassination of Qassem Soleimani, saying: 'If a hair on the head of an Iranian is harmed, we will blow away all your fur and hair; this threat is serious, and we will prove everything in action.' Ali Larijani, who has been the head of the Islamic Republic's legislative branch for years, also stated during the Quds Day rally: 'The form of revenge must be precise and deterrent and should not take place according to Israel's strategy; they are militarily stuck in Gaza and are looking to escalate the situation.' Mohammad Jamshidi, the political deputy of Ibrahim Raisi's office, claimed on social media X: 'The Islamic Republic warned the U.S. in a written message not to fall into Netanyahu's trap, withdraw so you don't get hit. In response, the U.S. requested Iran not to strike American targets.' On the other hand, the Islamic Republic's state media, including IRIB, welcomed the 'pot turnover movement' in various cities in anticipation of the 'downfall of Israel.' These media outlets reported on the cooking of the Palestinian dish 'Maqluba' by women loyal to the Islamic Republic in cities such as Tehran, Qom, Shiraz, Isfahan, Bojnurd, Sari, and Gachsaran, and turning the pot over as a sign of solidarity with the Palestinian people and the 'downfall of Israel,' stating: 'Perhaps Israeli soldiers will have nightmares of Maqluba when they go to sleep at night, which Palestinian women spread every night in Al-Aqsa Mosque and its surroundings.' Maqluba is a type of rice dish that is cooked in various ways in Arab countries with chicken, meat, or vegetables. Government media in the Islamic Republic claim that turning food over onto another dish is 'a symbol of the victory of Quds and the overturning of the domination of the enemies of Quds.'