Iranian Elites Begin Fleeing as Protests and Economic Collapse Fuel Regime Anxiety

Former U.S. President Donald Trump’s warning that the United States would intervene if Iranian authorities violently suppressed demonstrators has triggered visible fear within Iran’s ruling elite, according to Walid Phares, a former foreign policy adviser.

Phares stated that elites are attempting to move assets out of the country amid escalating protests and deteriorating economic conditions. “The real people inside the regime… are deterred, are concerned,” he said. “Some of them are afraid.”

He noted that this unrest represents a multi-generational movement for freedom, building on decades of protest activity. “This is not an overnight revolution that did not exist,” Phares explained. “There were multiple waves.”

Phares highlighted the relocation of Iran’s financial centers and historic bazaars as signs of deepening concern among power brokers within Tehran.

The remarks follow Iran’s Foreign Ministry issuing a sharp warning to Washington, stating the United States would bear “full responsibility for the consequences” of any intervention related to the protests.