00:00A
00:27chilling warning tonight that Iran's ruling establishment may be cracking from within.
00:33Western officials say senior figures inside the Islamic Republic could already be reaching
00:39out to foreign intelligence agencies, trading secrets for protection in case the regime
00:44collapses.
00:45It's a sign, analysts say, of growing fear at the top as unrest spreads on the streets.
00:54The claim comes from UK Conservative MP and former Security Minister Tom Tujinhat, who
01:01warned that paranoia is gripping Iran's leadership.
01:04He said senior officials may be quietly seeking safe landings abroad, even as they publicly
01:10project strength.
01:12Tujinhat added that suspicion is spreading at the top, and that many leaders may be doing
01:17the same.
01:18The warning coincides with escalating pressure from Washington.
01:22U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to back Iranian protesters if security forces
01:28fire on crowds.
01:30Trump declared the U.S. was locked and loaded days after unrest turned deadly, and months
01:36after American and Israeli strikes hit Iran's nuclear and military sites.
01:41Iran's leadership has responded sharply.
01:48Senior official Ali Larajani warned that U.S. interference would destabilize the entire
01:54Middle East.
01:55He pointed to Iran's network of proxy forces across Lebanon, Iraq, and Yemen, signaling that
02:01escalation would not remain contained.
02:05On the ground, protests driven by soaring inflation have spread nationwide, with violent clashes concentrated in western provinces.
02:14State-linked media and rights groups report at least 10 deaths since Wednesday, including
02:19members of the Basij paramilitary force.
02:22Though smaller than past uprisings, analysts say the unrest is more dangerous due to Iran's
02:28economic fragility.
02:30Iran's economy is under immense strain.
02:33Sanctions, inflation above 40 percent, and recent U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on nuclear
02:39and missile facilities have battered public confidence.
02:43In Loristan province, three protesters were reportedly killed during an attack on a police
02:48station, underscoring how volatile the situation has become.
02:53Tehran has offered dialogue, even as security forces remain deployed.
02:57Fatima Mojahirani says talks with unions and merchants are planned, but details remain scarce.
03:04As fear grips the elite and anger simmers below, the question now is whether Iran's leadership
03:10can hold or if the cracks will widen.
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