Overview
- With protests continuing, Iranian discourse shifted to the U.S. seizure in Venezuela and whether Iran’s top officials could be targeted next.
- Ayatollah Mohammad Ali Javedan warned that Khamenei’s life was in danger and asked worshippers to pray.
- State television aired an unverified claim that the U.S. and Israel previously plotted kidnappings of Iranian officials using dual nationals.
- Analysts say Iran’s larger size, the IRGC’s capabilities and the presence of fissile material make a Venezuela-style operation far costlier and riskier.
- Tensions rose as Tehran labeled comments by President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu an incitement to violence, while U.S. and Israeli politicians framed the raid’s broader strategic implications.