This isn't just an online intimidation campaign; it's a public loyalty pledge on the streets of Tehran. By parading with portraits of a new supreme leader, the Basij are signaling their role as enforcers for a coming political succession. This forces the hand of other security factions, shifting the focus from protest suppression to internal power consolidation. The question now is how the IRGC and the regular army will signal their own loyalties.
Members of Iran’s Basij paramilitary force have begun circulating photos of armed patrols in Tehran, a move intended to deter renewed protests. Yet, this is more than a simple online intimidation campaign. By prominently displaying portraits of a new supreme leader during these patrols, the Basij are making a public loyalty pledge. This act signals their intended role as key enforcers for a coming political succession, moving beyond mere protest suppression.
This public declaration effectively shifts the focus from external threats to internal power consolidation. The Basij's action forces the hand of other key security factions within the Iranian regime, compelling them to show their own allegiances. The critical question now is how the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the regular army will signal their own loyalties, as their alignment will be decisive in shaping the outcome of this emerging succession contest.
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