These are critical days for the Iranian regime, which is seeking to project strength and unity in the face of the threat of a US military action and growing domestic protests. Regime officials are preparing for February 12, designated as "Unity Day," which in practice marks the anniversary of the Islamic Revolution that took place in Iran in 1979.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei himself called on Iranians on Monday to turn out in large numbers for pro-regime rallies, pre-organized by the authorities across the country, in an effort to demonstrate broad public support for the regime. Citizens told media outlets operating outside Iran that civil servants and individuals dependent on the state were ordered to attend the demonstrations, under threat of harm to their livelihoods if they failed to comply.
Alongside the threats, the regime also offered incentives in the form of a lengthy series of pardons granted to prisoners, including some political detainees. However, the pardons did not include protesters who were arrested and jailed during the recent wave of nationwide demonstrations.
In another attempt to mobilize the public, authorities published dozens of letters of support from prominent figures in the country, including actors, athletes and musicians. The Iran International news channel, which operates from abroad, reported that the regime included in its letters of support the names of athletes and intellectuals who in fact back the protest movement and oppose the government.
The regime is also seeking international legitimacy and a display of military strength, with the help of Iran's allies. At a high-profile ceremony marking Air Force Day, the Chinese military attaché in Iran presented the commander of the Iranian Air Force with a model of China's J-20 stealth fighter jet. The significance of the gesture remains unclear, as does whether China intends to allow Iran to acquire the advanced aircraft, which could give Tehran an advantage in defending its airspace.
A Chinese military attaché based in Tehran presented the commander of the Iranian army air force with a mock-up of China's J-20 fighter jet.
The presentation of the J-20 mock-up to Brigadier General Bahman Behmard, whose images circulated on Tuesday, fueled speculations that Iran… pic.twitter.com/vsWCKFw7TK— Iran International English (@IranIntl_En) February 10, 2026
Despite the effort to project power outward, numerous signs indicate that resistance to the regime inside Iran is continuing. A video that went viral on social media shows students chanting "Javid Shah," meaning "Long live the Shah," at a teacher in a Tehran school after he lectured them about "Unity Day" and detailed the crimes of the secret police during the monarchy. Additional videos of students making similar chants were circulated following the original clip.
On Tuesday, a fire broke out at a power station in Tehran. Jalal Maleki, a spokesman for Tehran's fire services, told the ISNA news agency that the blaze was quickly extinguished, with no casualties and no damage to the facility or to the electricity supply.
According to reports, the fire erupted at 3:32 p.m. in one of the station's cooling towers, which was out of service and slated for demolition. During dismantling work, debris that had accumulated at the site caught fire due to negligence, according to the authorities' account.
