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Recent Iranian Protests (Late 2025–Early 2026)
Iran experienced widespread protests starting in late December 2025, primarily triggered by a severe economic crisis. The Iranian rial plummeted to a record low (around 1,445,000 to the USD), fueling inflation, rising prices, and shortages.
Demonstrations began with shopkeepers and merchants in Tehran's markets, spreading to universities and cities like Isfahan, Shiraz, and Mashhad. Protesters chanted anti-government slogans, including calls for regime change. These were the largest unrest since the 2022–2023 Mahsa Amini protests, though smaller in scale initially.
Mossad's Public Involvement
In a highly unusual move, a Farsi-language X (Twitter) account associated with Israel's Mossad intelligence agency posted direct encouragement to protesters on December 29–31, 2025:
"Go out together into the streets. The time has come."
"We are with you. Not only from a distance and verbally. We are with you on the ground/in the field." This was widely reported by Israeli media (e.g., Jerusalem Post, i24NEWS) as an official Mossad message, and echoed internationally (e.g., Al Arabiya, Times of India). Former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo referenced it, posting a New Year's message to "every Mossad agent walking beside" protesters.
The statement implies psychological support and possibly on-the-ground presence, aligning with Mossad's history of operations in Iran (e.g., sabotage and assassinations during the 2025 Israel-Iran war).
Iranian Government Response and Accusation
Iranian officials and state media (e.g., Tehran Times, Tasnim) accused Mossad and foreign entities of exploiting legitimate economic grievances to incite instability and regime change. They described goals as turning protests violent, polarizing society, and justifying external intervention. Prosecutor General warnings highlighted "externally-designed scenarios," citing Mossad's posts as evidence.
Historical Context: Earlier Protests (e.g., 2022 Mahsa Amini)
The 2022–2023 protests, sparked by Mahsa Amini's death in custody over hijab violations, were grassroots-driven, led by women and youth, with no substantiated Mossad orchestration. Iranian officials blamed foreign interference broadly, but independent reports (e.g., UN fact-finding, Wikipedia summaries) attribute them to domestic issues like mandatory hijab and repression. No direct Mossad encouragement was reported then.
Evidence of Direct Influence or Orchestration
Public encouragement and claimed presence: Clear in late 2025 protests via Mossad's X posts.
On-the-ground agents: Suggested by Mossad's wording and Pompeo's comment, but unverified independently. Mossad has conducted extensive operations in Iran (e.g., hundreds of agents during the 2025 war for sabotage).
Organizing/inciting from scratch: No concrete evidence. Protests stemmed from genuine economic woes (sanctions, currency collapse post-2025 war). Mossad appears to be amplifying/exploiting rather than creating them.
Past patterns: Israel has run influence campaigns (e.g., bot networks boosting opposition figures), but these are more propaganda than direct protest organization.
In summary, Mossad has openly influenced the 2025–2026 protests through public calls to action and hints of operational support, viewing them as an opportunity to weaken the Iranian regime. Iranian claims of deeper Mossad fueling go beyond verified facts, while the protests' roots are domestic economic hardship. This fits longstanding Israel-Iran enmity, with Mossad prioritizing regime destabilization.
