‘We want change, not destruction’

As he wished the world happy new year, former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo extended particularly a warm message to Iranian protesters who had taken to the streets over spiralling living costs and state repression.

“Happy New Year to every Iranian in the streets. Also to every Mossad agent walking beside them,” he wrote on X.

The message baffled and alarmed many, and helped feed speculation pushed by the Islamic Republic, the US and Israel itself that the protesters were being led by, or had at least been infiltrated by, Israeli operatives.

Sara, a 39-year-old from Tehran who was among those demonstrating, said she was confused by what Pompeo was implying.

“I don’t know what Mike Pompeo really meant by that tweet saying Mossad agents were among the protesters,” she told Middle East Eye. “Personally, I am suspicious that some parts of the protests were deliberately pushed toward violence.”

“When you see the videos of places being set on fire, you feel this cannot be the work of ordinary people. It looks like they just want destruction,” said Sara.

“We want regime change, but we do not want our country to be destroyed. And given Israel’s record, it would not be surprising if they tried to exploit this situation.”

She was also not thrilled by the prospect of an Israeli intervention.