As waves of protests have tested the Iranian regime’s ability to manage dissent, the country with arguably the most to gain has been waiting in the wings, reluctant to intervene even when its regional adversary is at its most vulnerable point in years.
After months of publicly threatening Iran, Israel has gone quiet, waiting to see how the protest movement develops and giving US President Donald Trump space to make his own decision on whether to take action.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has held several security consultations on the situation in Iran in recent days, according to a source familiar with the matter. But the longtime leader, who launched a surprise attack on Iran last summer, has instructed his ministers to avoid public statements about the country.
At the beginning of the protests, Science Minister Gila Gamliel posted a selfie on X wearing a “Make Iran Great Again” cap, tagging Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran’s last monarch, as well as a video message supporting the protesters. The Prime Minister’s Office has advised the ministers to remain silent at least twice since, according to the source.
At the weekly government meeting on Sunday, Netanyahu said only that Israel was “closely monitoring” events in Iran and supported the protesters’ “struggle for freedom.” There was no threat directed at Tehran or at the country’s supreme leader.
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