As protests continue to spread with a rising death toll, some believe Iran’s ruling clerics are facing an unprecedented threat, in part because of U.S. President Donald Trump’s moves on Venezuela.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, who has spent more than three decades consolidating power by crushing internal threats, now faces his most significant challenge yet as widespread protests grip the nation.

Iran on Wednesday hanged a man convicted of spying for its arch enemy Israel, the judiciary said, the latest such execution on espionage charges in a trend that has troubled rights groups.He said that 12 people had now been executed on charges of spying for Israel since the June war broke out.

Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran, Israel has made significant efforts to influence Iranian public opinion. However, it is important to distinguish between documented Israeli operations and controversial claims.

While opposition figures make moves from abroad, an insider-led "Venezuela model" may prevail in the event of a state collapse.

Iran plunged into a near-total internet blackout as nationwide protests intensified across all 31 provinces, with demonstrators staging strikes, clashing with security forces, and toppling symbols of the regime.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on January 9 that he was not considering the possibility of a second strike on the Islamic Republic by the United States or Israel."I rule out the possibility of a repeat attack by the United States or Israel,

Israeli officials say Tehran’s efforts to rebuild its ballistic-missile program could trigger new military action, complicating U.S. efforts to stabilize the region.

European leaders urged Iran late Friday to allow its citizens to demonstrate without reprisal after Tehran signaled security forces would crack down on the protesters whom US President Donald Trump has pledged to support.

Iran says it has hanged a man who spied for Israel and is ready for a new military confrontation as it struggles to tamp down domestic unrest.