No surrender, no dissent: How six months of war hardened Iran’s leadership

Tehran’s leaders appear determined to maintain confrontation with Washington while ensuring that economic hardship does not translate into political unrest. Six months into its war with the United States and Israel, Iran’s leadership has tightened its grip around a core of hard-line military commanders and clerics, signalling that it will resist US pressure abroad while moving aggressively to prevent dissent at home.A series of senior appointments announced on August 11 and 12 has placed veteran Revolutionary Guard figures and security officials at the heart of Iran’s leadership. The moves come as Tehran prepares for a potentially prolonged confrontation with Washington, rejects trust in negotiations with President Donald Trump and faces mounting economic pressure from the US blockade and new sanctions.The appointments have also made clear that Iran’s rulers are preparing for unrest even as no fresh nationwide protests have emerged. The choice of Hossein Taeb, a veteran intelligence chief who has overseen major crackdowns on protests, to lead the Basij volunteer force is being viewed as a particularly strong warning to potential dissenters.Tehran warns of a wider confrontationIran’...