The sudden U.S. aggression on Venezuela and the kidnapping of its president, Nicolas Maduro, in early January 2026, sent shockwaves across the region, revealing sharply contrasting reactions from Iran and the Israeli Occupation.

U.S. threats amid Iranian protests and Maduro’s arrest have heightened Tehran’s UN warnings, as analysts say Iran weighs all options under domestic unrest and international pressure.

Iran’s nearly week-long protests, sparked by economic despair but quickly widening into demands for broad change, have turned deadly.

After the 12-day war between Iran and “Israel” ended, fundamental questions resurfaced within Iranian political and media circles, most notably: Is a new war looming?

In a fresh escalation on Iraq’s crowded political stage, Iran-linked militias have launched a fierce campaign against the U.S. president’s envoy to Baghdad, Mark Savaya, going as far as issuing direct threats.