Persian cunning: Is Iran trying to destroy the US from within?

After the United States carried out its first-ever direct strike on Iran, global attention has turned to how Iran might retaliate. Long-discussed options include closing the Strait of Hormuz or launching attacks on US military bases in the region. However, both measures could prove disastrous for Iran itself. Iran’s economy is deeply dependent on the Strait of Hormuz. As US Vice President J.D. Vance recently noted, closing Hormuz would be an act of self-destruction for Tehran. Even the former Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, once openly stated in an interview that Iran survives because of the Strait of Hormuz.

Given this, Iran might instead pursue a different path in response to the US strikes of June 22, which many argue violated international law. According to reports, Tehran had warned Washington about potential consequences five days before the attack. NBC News, citing two US officials, reported that on June 17, during the G7 summit, Iran sent a message to President Trump warning that if he ordered strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites, Tehran could activate “sleeper terrorists” within the United States.

Following the strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, the US government raised its domestic terror threat level. The National Terrorism Advisory System issued a bulletin warning that the threat of terrorist attacks inside the country had increased and that this heightened alert would remain in effect until September 22. Officials also warned of possible Iranian-backed cyberattacks targeting US networks in the coming days.

In addition, the bulletin noted that Iran has long planned revenge attacks against US government officials it holds responsible for the killing of its top military commander in January 2020. Should the Iranian leadership issue a religious fatwa calling for violence, these so-called “sleeper radicals” inside the US could be activated. The warning suggests that some individuals currently residing in the United States could begin preparing for attacks.

Growing concern in the United States

In response, the US State Department has issued a global security alert for its citizens, urging Americans to exercise increased caution wherever they are in the world. According to the statement, demonstrations targeting US citizens and interests abroad are possible. Meanwhile, protests against President Trump’s decision to strike Iran have erupted inside the United States. In New York City, demonstrators took to the streets carrying banners reading “No to war with Iran” and “Trump is a war criminal.”

Protests have not been limited to Times Square in New York. Rallies have also been held around the White House in Washington, D.C., as well as in Boston, Massachusetts, and Cincinnati, Ohio. According to journalists on the ground in New York, the protests have remained peaceful so far, but many participants voiced fears that the US action could lead to a large-scale war with dire consequences.