Attack on Bibi's residence: Israel vows response, Iran denies involvement

Musk, who has become a prominent supporter of Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign, has taken a more active role in US politics, particularly in matters involving the Middle East.

During the event, Musk delivered a speech that emphasized the threat he believes Iran poses to both Israel and the United States.

"You obviously can't have people who want to slaughter everyone in Israel. You’ve got to stop that. Those people either need to be killed or incarcerated, or they will simply try to kill more Israelis,” Musk said, addressing the crowd.

Musk linked the threat to the broader geopolitical rivalry between Iran and the West. “And they want to kill Americans too. Israel is referred to as the ‘little Satan’ and America, we are the ‘big Satan’, that's what the Ayatollah calls us,'" he added, reflecting concerns frequently expressed by US policymakers about Iran's rhetoric and regional ambitions.

The event comes as tensions remain high in the Middle East, particularly between Iran and Israel. Iran's ballistic missile attack on Israel on October 1 and Israel’s pledge to retaliate have drawn international concern.

Following Hamas's October 7 attack on Israel, Elon Musk urged Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei to reconsider his anti-Israel stance. Musk posted on his social media platform, X, where Khamenei also has an account.

He stated, “Khamenei’s official position is clear that the eradication of Israel is the actual goal, not just supporting Palestinians,” adding, “That will never happen.”

Musk has not limited his involvement to speeches. His venture, Starlink, has played a role in providing internet access in countries experiencing conflict or state suppression. Musk first activated Starlink in Iran in late 2022 during widespread protests sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini, a young woman who died in custody after being arrested by the country’s morality police. The satellite internet service, according to Musk, was a tool to help Iranians bypass their government’s internet shutdowns and access global communication platforms during the protests.

However, the operation of Starlink in Iran remains fraught with challenges. While devices are smuggled into the country, it is potentially illegal given the government's policy of internet censorship, and those using it face risks. Musk compared the situation in Iran to Starlink’s deployment in Ukraine following Russia’s invasion, though the scale of operations remains much smaller in Iran.

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Once seen as a tech innovator with libertarian-leaning ideals, Musk has now emerged as one of Trump’s most influential backers. His America PAC, largely funded by his own wealth, has poured millions into voter turnout efforts in swing states like Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Wisconsin. His financial contributions, coupled with personal appearances at rallies, are part of a broader strategy to mobilize conservative voters ahead of the November 2024 election.

As the 2024 US presidential election approaches, Musk’s words resonate not just in the political arena but also in international geopolitics, especially concerning the future of US-Iran relations and the security of Israel.

The legislation, initially passed by Parliament in September last year, had been under review by the Guardian Council for months as Iran's leadership considered the public ramifications, particularly in light of growing defiance by women against the mandatory hijab, which has led to frequent violent confrontations with police.

Tahan Nazif, the Guardian Council’s spokesperson, said Saturday in a press conference that several members of Parliament had already informally communicated the bill's approval, The spokesperson did not clarify why the Council refrained from making a formal public statement.

The approval of the bill had been previously hinted at by key figures in Parliament. In September, Ahmad Rastineh, the spokesperson for the Parliament's Cultural Commission, and Mousa Ghazanfarabadi, a member of the Legal and Judicial Commission, both indicated that the bill, after extensive back-and-forth between Parliament and the Council, had finally been cleared by the Guardian Council.

Meanwhile, public concern over the bill persists, especially in light of broader national anxieties, including the possibility of conflict with Israel and economic instability. The Iranian outlet Rouydad24 criticized the timing of the legislation, arguing that, in the midst of pressing issues such as social cohesion and the widening gap between the government and the public, passing a law that would further alienate half of the population is highly questionable.

The bill, originally introduced by President Ebrahim Raisi's government in July 2023, imposes significant penalties for non-compliance with mandatory hijab regulations. First-time offenders would face a fine of 30 million rials (approximately $50), automatically deducted from their bank accounts. Repeat violations could lead to fines as high as 240 million rials ($400), a considerable burden in a country where monthly salaries average between $200 and $250.

Since the Woman, Life, Freedom movement in Iran, triggered by the death of Mahsa Amini while in police custody because of hijab in September 2022, hardliners have sought to reclaim control over women's dress codes. Despite widespread defiance of compulsory hijab laws, government efforts to reinforce these rules have intensified, leading to the shutdown of businesses and the impoundment of vehicles associated with hijab violations.

The Guardian Council’s approval of the bill places additional pressure on President Masoud Pezeshkian, who had campaigned against compulsory hijab enforcement and condemned the proposed legislation as the "Darkness Plan." He had pledged to end the morality police’s use of violence and stop hijab patrols. Nevertheless, law enforcement officials have continued to enforce the hijab mandate.

The President is legally required to sign and communicate the law for implementation within five days of receiving official notification from Parliament. It remains unclear whether Pezeshkian’s office has already received the legislation.

The initial case that caught the public’s attention involved a mother in Qods City, Tehran Province, who could not pay the registration fee for her daughter’s enrollment.

“I had no choice,” she told Etemad, a local newspaper. “My daughter had already dropped out of school for two years because I couldn’t pay. So, I cleaned for her sake.”

This is while Article 30 of the Iranian Constitution guarantees free education for all citizens up to secondary school.

In response to the public outcry, the Qods City Department of Education announced Wednesday that the school’s principal had resigned. It said the case had been handed over to the disciplinary committee for further investigation.

The incident sparked widespread outrage, drawing media attention to the economic hardships many families face and the increasing pressure on schools to cover operational costs without sufficient government support. The follow-up investigations by Tehran-based media have shown that this issue extends beyond a single case, as similar incidents have happened in other schools nationwide.

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The widespread nature of these practices contrasts sharply with the government's official stance. In September, the Ministry of Education spokesperson Ali Farhadi asserted, “We do not have any mandatory payments. Regular public schools should not receive any money from families. If someone has a complaint, it will be addressed within three days.”

One father in Khorasan Razavi Province, eastern Iran, told Etemad, “They [school officials] told us that if we didn’t have the registration fee, we had to clean, and if we reported it, they would expel our daughter.”

In another school in Tehran, parents from low-income families were contacted and given an ultimatum: pay the registration fee or provide labor services such as cleaning or maintenance work. Complaints from parents were largely ignored, and there have been no significant consequences for school officials involved, with one parent telling Etemad that the district’s education office only followed up with a phone call.

Shargh, a Tehran-based outlet, reported that teachers have disclosed a growing trend where parents, unable to afford public school fees, are asked to provide labor instead. These arrangements are typically negotiated between the school principal and the parents, allowing families to offer services based on their skills. For instance, a parent might say, "I can't pay the registration fee, but I’m a carpenter and can repair tables and chairs," or, "I’m a locksmith and can fix the classroom locks."

High inflation, estimated to be above 40%, and low salaries (around $200 per month) seem to be at the root of these violations. There are reports that teachers and administrators attribute these practices to insufficient government support. Due to financial constraints, schools are reportedly compelled to seek contributions from families to cover even basic operational costs like utilities.

According to the Iranian Statistical Center, 930,000 children and adolescents could not continue their education during the 2023-2024 school year, an increase from the 911,000 reported the previous year. Many experts attribute this rise to deepening poverty across the country, a trend also highlighted by the Association for the Support of Out-of-School Children, which has warned of a growing crisis in school enrollment.

In September, just days after schools reopened for the new academic year, the Ministry of Education reported that 790,000 students had not yet enrolled and an additional 890,000 students had not ordered textbooks. Despite repeated promises from government officials that educational access would be ensured for all, the situation continues to deteriorate for many low-income families, raising serious concerns about the future of education in the country.

According to the latest report from the Iranian Statistical Center, published in September, official data indicates that 30% of the population has slipped below the poverty line.

"Anybody with knowledge or understanding of 'how and when Israel was going to attack Iran' and/or providing the means and backing for such folly, should logically be held accountable for any possible causality," Iranian FM Abbas Araghchi tweeted on Saturday.

Earlier on Friday, Biden said he has insight into "how and when Israel is going to respond to the missile attacks by Iran," though he refrained from providing further details.

Biden also noted that there was an emerging opportunity to address the ongoing tensions between Israel and Iran in a manner that could temporarily halt their conflict in the Middle East. "There's an opportunity, in my view, and my colleagues agree, that we can probably deal with Israel and Iran in a way that ends the conflict for a while. That ends the conflict, in other words, that stops the back and forth," he added.

Tensions between Israel and Iran have escalated sharply since October 1, when Iran launched 181 ballistic missiles at Israel in retaliation for the assassination of Hezbollah's leader, Hassan Nasrallah, in Beirut by Israeli forces.

While Israel's advanced air defenses intercepted the majority of the missiles, several hit both military and civilian targets, causing damage. In response, the Israeli government has vowed to retaliate and has intensified military operations in Lebanon and Gaza, focusing on the leadership of Hezbollah and Hamas, Iran-backed militant groups.

Last week, the United States authorized the deployment of a Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery and personnel to Israel, reaffirming its strong commitment to Israel's defense and the protection of US citizens in Israel from further missile threats. The THAAD system, which complements Israel's existing Patriot missile defenses, can intercept threats at ranges of up to 124 miles.

On Friday, Israel requested an additional THAAD system amid reports of a possible preemptive strike on Iran. The Pentagon confirmed that key components of the first THAAD battery, along with US personnel, had arrived in Israel earlier in the week.

As Iran’s Foreign Minister conducted regional tours to strengthen ties with Arab states, Iran's leadership is reportedly sending backchannel messages to the US, urging them to convince Israel to scale back its counterstrike, according to an Israeli reporter.

Since July, Israel has targeted some of the most prominent figures in Iran’s proxy network. On July 31, Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh was killed in Tehran, an operation widely attributed to Israel, though they have not officially confirmed or denied it. Last month, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was eliminated in Beirut, a strike confirmed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Most recently, Yahya Sinwar was taken out in Gaza.

Iran’s proxies are not out, but severely weakened with a significant decrease in its capabilities, and this may push the Iranian establishment to want de-escalation for its own survival, says Stein.

“Iran is conveying messages that if response if limited they won’t respond to Israel. Iran is trying to scale down the response to Israel,” he adds.

Israel's Counterstrike on Iran

Stein characterized the Biden administration as being “okay” with Israel’s plan to attack Iran after it launched a barrage of ballistic missiles on Oct 1st in retaliation for the killing of Nasrallah and Haniyeh.

US President Joe Biden says he has a good understanding of how and when Israel plans to respond to Iran, making the remarks Friday while being pressed by reporters during a visit to Germany.

Biden declined to share any details, but Stein, based on his intelligence as a journalist in Israel, believes the attack will be limited to military strikes.

The Iranians may be fearful after Sinwar’s death and hope to signal to the Americans that they will not retaliate if the Israeli’s stay away from striking oil, gas and nuclear sites, says Stein.

Persian Gulf region Arab states are also lobbying Washington to stop Israel from attacking Iran’s oil sites because they are concerned for their own oil facilities.

Israel's Prime Minister has repeatedly said all options are on the tables.

After reports surfaced of military targets, Israel’s Energy minister Eli Cohen, said on Friday that Israel was "committed to preventing the Iranians from acquiring nuclear weapons, and therefore, all options are on the table, including attacking nuclear facilities".

While Benjamin Netanyahu has sent bold messages to the Iranian establishment for decades, politics may hold him back for how far he can go.

“For Netanyahu, Iran is the main enemy of Israel. He always talked about the nuclear, nuclear, nuclear but in the end also Netanyahu knows what the limits are,” says Stein.

“The idea that Netanyahu will now use the opportunity to go for the nuclear sites and do what he's talking about for 15 years, I have a bit doubt it, but let's see,” he adds.

Sinwar’s death may delay – not prevent - Israel’s planned reprisal in Iran, according to Stein.

He believes it may cause Israel to focus on Gaza with their being an opportunity with no clear leadership in place to push for a ceasefire and the release of the remaining 101 hostages.

When asked about his behind-the-scenes conversations with Israeli government officials on this topic, he said some of them believe the Gazan people will revolt against Hamas.

“I think some of Israeli officials are surprised that people in Gaza haven't revolted yet. But again, the end it's the Hamas civil structure that is still operating over there. That's why the civilians need them. If this collapses and other things collapse, then things change.”

A moment Israelis have been waiting for

Stein recalled the moment when he found out about Sinwar’s death, describing the mood among Israeli's as "complete happiness."

“In my neighborhood people went out with alcohol bottles and whiskey and poured glasses. We always waited for this moment and it finally arrived.”

As an architect of the Oct 7 killing of more than 1,000 Israeli citizens that sparked the war in Gaza, Sinwar was also responsible for negotiations with other political leaders on the hostages, and controlled Hamas’ day-to-day operations. Even if a new leader is named, that person will not have specific control over the hostages, says Steins.

With the absence of a clear leader, Israel's strategy is to provide amnesty to individuals – whether they are Islamic Jihad or Hamas – to surrender the hostages and walk free, said Stein about Netanyahu ‘s next move.

“The dictator is dead. There’s a chance individuals will try to save their lives by releasing hostages. This is the idea right now” says Stein.

To find out how Israelis are feeling about a potential strike on Iran, and much more from Stein's conversation on Eye for Iran, Watch the full episode on YouTube or listen on Spotify, Castbox, Apple or Amazon.