Mike Baker

We'll examine those concerns.

Later in the show, chaos in Syria as ISIS fighters break free from a prison during a turbulent government handover.

But first, today's afternoon spotlight.

While Iran's leadership continues to project an image of unity and control, reporting suggests that some within the ruling elite are increasingly uneasy with the regime's harsh tactics and their long-term consequences.

The Islamic Republic is now confronting one of its most severe crises in its history, and according to reporting in The Economist, Iranian leaders are increasingly at odds over how to respond to it.

Nationwide protests, driven by economic collapse and political repression and generational anger, have been met with extraordinary violence, including mass arrests, lethal force, and sweeping information blackouts designed to hide the violent crackdown.

Yet that strategy comes at a cost, something that apparently is not lost on Iran's power brokers, including high-ranking clerics, senior politicians, and even figures within the upper echelons of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the IRGC.

The Economist's analysis suggests the regime is increasingly, quote, bereft of legitimacy.

Really?

When was it ever reft of legitimacy?

Relying almost entirely on coercion rather than consent.

And while Iran's security apparatus, particularly the IRGC, remains publicly loyal, there are signs that parts of the political and clerical elite are deeply uncomfortable with how far the crackdown has gone.

This unease does not amount to open rebellion or visible fractures.

There are no confirmed defections from senior leadership.

No public dissent from top commanders, no clear split in the top ranks, but authoritarian systems often fail quietly and, at least initially, out of sight when confidence inside the elite circles erodes and when consensus over survival strategies begins to fray.

In particular, some regime insiders are reportedly worried that mass killings and sweeping punishments are strengthening the very forces they're meant to suppress.

The more violence the state uses, the more it risks radicalizing a population that already views the system as illegitimate, particularly younger Iranians who have grown up under sanctions and censorship and economic stagnation.

That anxiety is underscored by recent remarks carried by Al Jazeera in which Iranian officials warned they are, quote, just getting started when it comes to punishing those arrested during the protests.

Just yesterday, Iran's top police officer issued an ultimatum to protesters who joined in the protests, saying those who participated must stand themselves in within three days or face the full force of the law.

The statement reflects a hardline faction pushing for maximum repression, long prison sentences, swift prosecutions, and zero tolerance for dissent.