How Iran has changed, and how it hasn’t, in two months of war
In the two months since the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran, the country has experienced significant upheaval, including leadership changes and increased military activity. Despite the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and ongoing war pressures, Iran's core institutions remain intact, with hardliners consolidating power. Ordinary Iranians face economic hardship, but the state continues to project unity and resist foreign demands.
- ▪Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in the attacks, and his son Mojtaba Khamenei was swiftly elected as his successor by a clerical body.
- ▪The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) continues to lead military operations and maintain control over key economic and security functions.
- ▪President Masoud Pezeshkian has been largely confined to domestic affairs, while hardline factions dominate the judiciary, parliament, and media.
- ▪Foreign paramilitary groups, including Iraq’s Popular Mobilisation Forces, have been brought into Iran to assist with internal security.
- ▪Iran has refused to make concessions to the US, viewing them as capitulation, and continues to support its regional 'axis of resistance.'
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News|US-Israel war on IranHow Iran has changed, and how it hasn’t, in two months of warCommon Iranians face job losses and shortages. But key institutions remain in place, with hardliners stronger now.ListenListen (8 mins)SaveClick here to share on social mediashare-nodesSharefacebookxwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogleAdd Al Jazeera on GoogleinfoMourners gather during a funeral procession in Tehran, Iran, on April 1, 2026, for Alireza Tangsiri, the head of IRGC Navy, and others killed in Israeli attacks in late March [Vahid Salemi/AP Photo]By Maziar MotamediPublished On 28 Apr 202628 Apr 2026Tehran, Iran – Much has changed for Iranian authorities and more than 90 million people in the country since the United States and Israel launched the first strikes on Tehran two months ago.Yet some…
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