标签： Asia

Israeli social media platforms have become flooded with overt demands for the Iranian government’s overthrow as widespread protests intensify across the Islamic Republic, prompting authorities to implement a near-total internet shutdown.

While Israel’s current political leadership has maintained official silence regarding the demonstrations, former Israeli officials, commentators, and activists have enthusiastically embraced the prospect of Tehran’s government collapsing, characterizing the turmoil as a potentially transformative historical moment.

Israeli media outlets report that security agencies have counseled politicians against public commentary on the protests, cautioning that such statements might inadvertently validate Iran’s narrative that the unrest is being engineered by Israel and the United States, potentially causing substantial diplomatic harm.

Defying these advisories, former far-right Knesset member Moshe Feiglin declared on social media platform X that Iran’s regime would inevitably fall, emphasizing that the critical issue was which forces would influence the post-Islamic Republic political landscape.

Right-wing Israeli activist Yoseph Haddad expressed support for the demonstrations, sharing an image alongside supporters of Iran’s former monarchy with the caption: “God willing, soon we will be able to wave these two flags together side by side in Tehran.”

Some Israeli commentators analyzed the situation through an economic lens, describing Iran as a “dormant energy and minerals giant” possessing enormous gas and mineral reserves. One prominent right-wing account suggested that foreign intervention might be justified to access Iran’s resources, proposing that “a little military assistance” could be exchanged for future economic advantages.

These statements reflect persistent Israeli and Western dialogues concerning Iran’s strategic importance, even as protesters within Iran maintain that their demands stem from economic survival and political dignity rather than geopolitical considerations.

Left-wing Israeli voices expressed solidarity with protesters while cautioning against attempts to co-opt the uprising or idealize authoritarian alternatives. Israeli journalist Orly Noy described the emotional complexity of witnessing the events in Iran, expressing hope that she might someday revisit her homeland while warning against growing support for Iran’s exiled former crown prince among Israeli and diaspora audiences.

Another left-wing activist noted that while his “heart is with the protesters,” Israel would likely seek a new regional adversary if Iran could no longer fulfill that role, potentially enabling continued justification of Israel’s treatment of Palestinians as self-defense.

Inside Iran, protests initially triggered by rising prices of essential goods nearly two weeks ago have expanded into broader demonstrations challenging the political system itself. The unrest has spread across multiple cities, with participants chanting slogans such as “death to the dictator” directly targeting Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Iranian officials have minimized the scale of the disturbances and characterized protesters as violent vandals operating under foreign direction. In a televised address, Khamenei dismissed the protests as insignificant and accused the United States of exploiting the situation, while Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi alleged that the U.S. and Israel were encouraging unrest to destabilize the Islamic Republic.

Iran’s economy continues to struggle under the weight of years of U.S.-led sanctions, rampant inflation, and a sharply declining currency, leaving substantial portions of the population unable to afford basic necessities.

Israeli authorities have taken into custody a high-ranking official from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s inner circle amid allegations of obstructing a sensitive investigation into military intelligence leaks. The detained individual, identified by local media as Tzachi Braverman—Netanyahu’s current chief of staff and designated ambassador to the United Kingdom—faces serious accusations related to attempts to interfere with a probe concerning classified information disclosures during the Gaza conflict.

According to police statements released Sunday, the senior official was questioned ‘under caution’ regarding suspicions of investigation obstruction. The case centers on allegations that Braverman attempted to influence an ongoing military investigation into how sensitive documents were leaked to foreign media outlets during Israel’s military operations in Gaza.

The investigation gained momentum following revelations from Eli Feldstein, a former Netanyahu aide currently involved in multiple legal controversies. Feldstein claims that shortly after he leaked a classified military document to German publication Bild in September 2024—an action for which he was subsequently arrested and charged—Braverman approached him with offers to potentially ‘shut down’ the military’s investigation into the matter.

The leaked document in question was reportedly intended to demonstrate Hamas’s reluctance toward ceasefire agreements and bolster Netanyahu’s position that military pressure rather than negotiations represented the most effective means to secure the release of hostages taken during Hamas’s October 2023 attack on Israel.

Complicating matters further, Feldstein himself remains embroiled in the separate ‘Qatargate’ scandal, wherein Netanyahu associates face allegations of promoting Qatari interests within Israel. While Braverman is not directly implicated in this secondary investigation, the timing of his detention has raised significant political concerns.

In response to these developments, opposition leader Yair Lapid has publicly demanded the immediate suspension of Braverman’s ambassadorial appointment to the UK, arguing that individuals under investigation for security-related offenses should not represent Israel in crucial diplomatic posts. The situation continues to develop as police conduct additional searches and pursue further questioning of involved parties.

Myanmar’s military regime conducted the second phase of its staged electoral process on Sunday, January 11, 2026, amidst mounting international condemnation and domestic skepticism. The voting included the constituency previously represented by ousted democratic leader Aung San Suu Kyi, whose party was forcibly dissolved following the 2021 coup that abruptly ended Myanmar’s decade of democratic transition.

The State Administration Council, as the junta styles itself, has framed this three-phase electoral exercise as a pathway to restoring civilian governance, with the final phase scheduled for completion by January 25. However, democracy monitoring organizations and international rights experts have uniformly dismissed the process as a carefully orchestrated attempt to cement military dominance under a veneer of electoral legitimacy.

Electoral mathematics already indicate predetermined outcomes. The military-aligned Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) secured approximately 90% of lower house seats during the initial voting phase in late December 2025. This overwhelming victory occurred amid reports of severe voter suppression, with turnout estimated at just 50%—a dramatic decline from the 70% participation recorded in the 2020 elections that brought Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy to power.

The electoral landscape reflects Myanmar’s ongoing civil conflict. Voting has been canceled across extensive territories controlled by ethnic rebel factions and resistance forces, while the military has intensified offensive operations, including aerial bombardments of civilian areas, in contested regions. UN Human Rights Special Rapporteur Tom Andrews characterized the process as ‘engineered polls designed to manufacture a facade of legitimacy while violence and repression continue unabated.’

Myanmar’s political environment remains perilous for dissent. Over 330 individuals face prosecution under junta-enacted laws that criminalize election criticism with penalties up to 10 years imprisonment. The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners documents more than 22,000 political detainees currently held in military prisons, underscoring the repressive context in which this electoral exercise unfolds.