WANA (Jan 23) – A senior deputy commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said the recent unrest in the country was part of a “multi-layered and calculated plan by foreign adversaries” designed to generate domestic instability and erode national cohesion.

 

According to him, the plan comprised “six to seven stages” and drew on tactics seen in “ISIS operations and the Israeli campaign in Gaza,” with an emphasis on escalating urban confrontation.

 

Referring to ongoing pressure on the Islamic Republic since 1979, he described the recent turmoil as another phase of a broader “hybrid warfare” campaign. He noted that Iran has faced political assassinations, coup attempts, the eight-year Iran–Iraq war, and sustained economic pressure over the past 47 years, arguing that efforts to fragment the country or undermine its political system have failed.

 

Addressing the most recent confrontation, he cited the “12-day war” and operations known as “True Promise” as evidence of Iran’s military deterrence, saying foreign adversaries employed advanced intelligence and weapons systems but ultimately “stepped back” in the face of Iran’s response.

 

He attributed Iran’s ability to overcome what he termed a recent “cognitive and media offensive” to centralized leadership and the readiness of Iran’s security and military organizations, asserting that attempts to drive a wedge between the population and the political establishment were “neutralized in a short period of time.”

A member of Iranian police attends a pro government rally in Tehran, Iran, January 12, 2026. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency)