Since February 28, with the start of US and Israeli air, missile, and drone strikes on targets in Iran, the country entered a new phase of security and military confrontation. Many foreign analysts had expected that military pressure and psychological operations could instill fear and passivity in Iranian society.

Yet this year’s Quds Day march unfolded in direct opposition to that expectation. At the height of this imposed war, with military and media threats peaking, people in cities across the country took to the streets, demonstrating that the social arena remains under their control.

This presence was not merely a political or ritual gathering; it was also a display of public trust in national capacity to withstand foreign aggression.

People’s Courage Under Fire

One notable scene occurred near the Tehran march route, where the enemy carried out aggressive actions. Airstrikes and direct threats formed part of the enemy’s psychological warfare, aimed at spreading fear and disrupting public life.

Images from the streets, however, showed that the people neither abandoned the squares nor panicked. They remained calm and courageous, continuing their presence even while some were martyred. In many cities, crowds stayed on the march routes despite news of attacks, chanting even louder slogans.

This reaction is a key indicator of social resilience in times of crisis. People who maintain their presence amid threats and bombings effectively nullify the enemy’s attempt to instill fear.

Officials Stand with the People: A Message of Trust

Alongside widespread public participation, the attendance of high-ranking officials at the Quds Day march carried special significance. The President, Chief Justice, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, Commander of the National Police, and numerous ministers and senior officials participated despite having been direct targets of recent enemy threats.

In hybrid warfare, one of the enemy’s main objectives is to create a divide between the people and the government. The presence of officials in public spaces, particularly amid heightened security risks, sends a clear message of managerial solidarity and trust in the populace. It signals that national decision-makers will not retreat from public life in the face of external threats.

Thwarting the Enemy’s Calculations About the Streets

In recent months, the US President, the Israeli Prime Minister, and allied media repeatedly expressed their hope for instability in Iran’s streets. They calculated that military pressure and psychological operations would push Iranian society toward chaos and disorder.

Yet today’s march presented a different reality. Streets that the enemy expected to be empty or turbulent became scenes of public and family presence.

Strategically, these scenes are highly significant in reshaping enemy calculations. The broader and more accurately publicized the narrative of people’s presence, the sooner the enemy’s destabilization agenda reaches a dead end. For this reason, continued social participation until the enemy is fully discouraged remains a strategic imperative.