In the shadow of the recent 12-day conflict with Israel, Iran’s regime is tightening its grip on its own people, veering toward a dystopian model of control that echoes North Korea’s iron-fisted isolation. The Islamic Republic, rattled by military setbacks, is escalating domestic repression at a chilling pace, signaling a regime gripped by paranoia and fragility.

Kasra Aarabi, a leading analyst on Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), described this shift as a deliberate pivot toward a 'North Korea-style' system. 'The regime is locking down its own citizens, creating a climate of fear unprecedented even for Iran’s authoritarian history,' he told WTFNewsRoom. Random phone searches, disappearances for possessing 'anti-regime' content, and a total internet blackout during the war have left Iranians living in a surveillance state where even private thoughts are policed.

The internet blackout, which blocked critical Israeli evacuation alerts, was a calculated move to sow confusion and fear. 'For four days, no messages got through,' Aarabi explained. 'The regime wanted to keep people off the streets and fracture any fleeting solidarity between Iranians and Israelis.' Initially, many Iranians quietly supported Israel’s strikes, seeing the IRGC—long their oppressor—as the real target. But fear and propaganda quickly muddied those sentiments.

Dr. Afshon Ostovar, an Iran scholar, emphasized that repression is the regime’s go-to survival tactic. 'Tightening the screws on the population is their safest bet to prevent uprisings,' he noted. With its military doctrines in tatters and its nuclear ambitions crippled, Iran is doubling down on control, potentially transforming into an even more insular autocracy.

Inside the IRGC, the fallout is equally dramatic. Aarabi revealed an impending purge driven by mistrust and accusations of infiltration. Younger, radicalized officers—steeped in ideological training—are turning on veteran commanders, some even accusing them of colluding with Israel’s Mossad. 'Khamenei’s own creation is now out of his control,' Aarabi said, highlighting the irony of a leader outflanked by his own zealots.

As Iran’s conventional power wanes, experts warn the regime may lean harder into asymmetric warfare—terrorism with plausible deniability. 'With their militias, missiles, and nuclear program in disarray, soft-target attacks are their last card to play,' Aarabi warned. Yet, this crackdown betrays weakness. A confident regime wouldn’t need to crush its people so ruthlessly. For now, Iran’s streets remain silent, but the embers of dissent still smolder beneath the surface.

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Iran’s Regime Tightens Grip, Embraces North Korea-Style Isolation After Israel Conflict