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The Defiance of Iranian Protesters Seems Different This Time
(Ha'aretz) Ali Deldar - This time, the defiance of the government appears to be qualitatively different. The protests are growing and have spread across the country, no longer confined to major cities. The slogans have shifted: calling for the end of the regime itself. What makes this moment different is a chain of events that culminated in a widespread loss of confidence following the 12-day war with Israel. Reza, an investment advisor in Tehran, describes the weeks after the June 2025 war, when the Tehran stock market experienced an unprecedented capital outflow by individual investors. "How can you trust a country that has no control over its airspace, after years of boasting about its military and intelligence strength?" Reza asks. He says the war panic intensified with fears of snapback sanctions. The war was followed by a prolonged period of anxiety over the possibility of renewed conflict, alongside worsening shortages of water and electricity. Industries faced rationing of power, gas, and water. The writer previously worked as a journalist at the BBC and as a reporter in Iran.