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Iran’s Majlis Moves to Tighten Repression as Factional Infighting and Mounting Domestic Crises Expose Regime Vulnerabilities

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The Iranian regime’s parliament turned its attention to internal security on November 4, advancing legislation against alleged foreign infiltration while reviewing rules governing firearms and public assemblies. At the same time, lawmakers publicly warned about divisions within the ruling establishment, and authorities reported another armed confrontation in Sistan and Baluchestan. The developments reveal how domestic security concerns are increasingly competing with the regime’s efforts to project military strength abroad and at home.

Parliament Moves to Tighten Repression Amid Growing Fears of Unrest

In a November 4 parliamentary session, lawmakers reviewed proposed amendments that would expand security forces’ authority to use firearms, including during certain demonstrations, alongside legislation regulating public gatherings. The firearms proposal also includes stronger institutional protections for officers involved in fatal shootings. Although the measures have not been enacted, their consideration signals an effort to give security forces greater latitude to confront dissent.

Lawmakers also approved provisions in legislation targeting alleged foreign intelligence infiltration, introducing prison sentences, financial penalties and professional bans for certain unauthorized contacts with foreign entities. The measures also provide for consolidating information from government databases, expanding the authorities’ capacity to monitor activities classified as security threats.

Together, these initiatives suggest a preemptive effort to intimidate dissent and strengthen the machinery of repression in a society already strained by economic hardship, recurring protests and deepening distrust of the ruling establishment. With public anger creating the potential for wider unrest, the regime appears increasingly concerned with deterring mobilization before it develops into a more serious political challenge.

Lawmakers Warn That Internal Divisions Threaten the Regime

During the November 4 parliamentary session, MP Sara Fallahi warned that divisions among senior officials could serve what she called an enemy strategy for a coup. She accused officials of exploiting national resources and demanded accountability for years of mismanagement. Her remarks reflected an intensifying blame game within the ruling establishment, as competing factions seek to shift responsibility for the crises fueling public anger.

Another lawmaker Ahmad Aryaeinejad warned of ideological disaffection and insecurity in universities. He criticized unequal salaries, unresolved pension grievances and profiteering. Their interventions suggest that the establishment’s concern extends beyond economic deprivation itself to the political consequences of prolonged hardship and repression.

Leadership Doubles Down on Confrontation Amid Domestic Pressures

In a November 4 message, Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei called for pursuing what he described as “absolute deterrence,” reaffirming the regime’s confrontational approach toward the United States. His emphasis on military strength comes as the regime faces mounting domestic grievances and internal disagreements over how to manage the continuing confrontation.

IRGC Quds Force commander Esmail Qaani echoed the message, asserting that Iran-aligned regional forces were prepared to confront adversaries without geographical restrictions.

The authorities also used the annual November 4 anti-American demonstrations to project public unity, with official accounts claiming events in more than 900 cities. Education authorities had instructed schools and student organizations to coordinate participation.

Furthermore, education authorities reportedly instructed schools to organize student participation, while teachers and families alleged that some pupils faced threats of disciplinary consequences for refusing to attend. The reports suggest that the authorities were seeking to ensure visible participation at a time of growing public dissatisfaction.

Crackdown amid Hardship

Police closed two women’s gyms in Zarand over alleged violations of compulsory-hijab regulations and Halloween celebrations, while authorities in Qayenat shut a café-restaurant and another gym over similar cultural restrictions. Judicial cases were initiated against the businesses.

Meanwhile, the regime’s acting oil minister acknowledged that approximately one-quarter of the country’s gas-production capacity remains out of service following wartime damage. He called for a 20% reduction in household and industrial consumption to manage winter shortages, without providing a timetable for restoring the lost capacity.

November 4 exposed a ruling establishment increasingly preoccupied with preserving its authority amid deepening domestic pressures. While lawmakers seek broader powers to suppress dissent and rival factions blame one another for the country’s crises, the leadership continues to prioritize military confrontation and displays of public loyalty. Yet growing deprivation, ideological resistance and deteriorating infrastructure are placing demands on a system already struggling with internal divisions. The central vulnerability is the regime’s difficulty managing these pressures simultaneously: its efforts to project strength abroad and enforce obedience at home are increasingly constrained by the unresolved crises undermining its authority.

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