Iran leaders join crowds on Tehran's streets to project control in wartime
88/100
Verdict
High Trust
Largely Accurate / Reliable
This Reuters article (bylined Parisa Hafezi, dated 3 April 2026) reports that Iran's leadership is deploying senior officials into small pro-government street crowds to project control amid an ongoing U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.
✓ 9 checks out
✕ 0 disputed
? 4 unverified
Full analysis The complete summary ⌄
This Reuters article (bylined Parisa Hafezi, dated 3 April 2026) reports that Iran's leadership is deploying senior officials into small pro-government street crowds to project control amid an ongoing U.S.-Israeli war on Iran. Every high-priority, checkable factual claim in the piece is corroborated by multiple reputable, dated sources: Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was assassinated on 28 February 2026 in Israeli/U.S. strikes; his son Mojtaba Khamenei was subsequently named the new Supreme Leader (Assembly of Experts election concluding 8 March 2026) and has not appeared publicly; Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi was reportedly removed from Israel's target list after Pakistani mediation; Iran signalled/closed the Strait of Hormuz; anti-government protests erupted in January 2026 and were met with a deadly crackdown; and rights groups reported wartime executions of political prisoners. The article is transparently sourced to named analysts and anonymous insiders, uses measured attribution, and carries low emotional-manipulation markers. It is assessed as largely accurate and reliable. Minor caveats concern reliance on unnamed insiders for the central 'street outings' tactic (opinion/analysis rather than independently verifiable) and the precise figure of 'at least seven' executed political prisoners, which is plausible and consistent with rights-group reporting but figures in this fast-moving conflict vary across sources and dates.
What checked out (9)
- Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed/assassinated on 28 February 2026 as part of Israeli (and U.S.-linked) airstrikes targeting senior Iranian officials; his death was confirmed by Iran on 1 March 2026. (Wikipedia, NBC News, PBS, CBC)
- Mojtaba Khamenei, Ali Khamenei's son, was named/elected Iran's new Supreme Leader by the Assembly of Experts, with the process concluding around 8 March 2026. (Wikipedia '2026 Iranian supreme leader election', Iran International, CNBC)
- Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has not been seen in public since taking over, with his absence attributed to assassination threats. (CNN, Iran International, Al Jazeera)
- Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi was reportedly removed from Israel's 'hit list' following mediation involving Pakistan (which asked Washington not to target him and Speaker Qalibaf). (Arab News, Times of Israel, Modern Diplomacy — all citing Reuters/Pakistani sources)
- Masoud Pezeshkian is the president of Iran (in office since 2024) and Abbas Araqchi is the foreign minister (since August 2024). (Wikipedia biographies)
- Iran signalled and/or declared closure of / ability to disrupt the Strait of Hormuz during the 2026 crisis. (Wikipedia '2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis', Al Jazeera)
- Anti-government protests erupted in Iran in January 2026 and were met with a deadly crackdown, mass arrests and internet shutdowns. (Wikipedia '2025-2026 Iranian protests', Amnesty International, UK GOV.UK/Commons Library)
- Rights groups reported accelerated wartime executions of political prisoners, including individuals detained during the January 2026 protests. (Euronews, NPR, Center for Human Rights in Iran, Death Penalty Information Center)
- The U.S. and Israel conducted a June 2025 '12-Day War' and strikes on Iranian nuclear sites (Fordow, Natanz, Isfahan) that the White House described as having 'obliterated' Iran's nuclear programme, presaging the larger 2026 war. (Wikipedia, Britannica, White House, Al Jazeera)
Unverified claims 4 claims ⌄
- The specific tactic that Iran's president and foreign minister are deliberately mixing with 'several hundred' supporters in central Tehran to project control is sourced to anonymous 'insiders' and state TV footage; the strategic intent is analyst/insider interpretation and cannot be independently verified.
- The exact figure that Iran 'hanged at least seven political prisoners during the war' — the broad claim of wartime political executions is well supported, but the precise count of 'seven' attributed to the war period is not uniformly confirmed across sources (figures range widely, e.g. reports of ~22 political prisoners over six weeks and dozens overall), so the specific number is treated as Unverified rather than confirmed exactly as stated.
- The quoted claim that officials use loyal crowds as 'human shields' is an attributed opinion from a named rights advocate (Hadi Ghaemi) rather than an independently established fact.
- The characterisation that peace talks have 'petered out' with Tehran branding U.S. proposals 'unrealistic' reflects the situation around the article's date; given fast-moving diplomacy this specific status is time-bound and not independently re-verified for the exact article date.
Sources & how we checked Search journal, source grades, confidence ⌄
Confidence
High — All high-priority, externally checkable claims were confirmed by multiple independent reputable secondary sources and, in several cases, primary institutional sources, all carrying 2025-2026 dates consistent with the article. The article's own sourcing is transparent and attributed, and its publisher (Reuters) is highly credible. Confidence is not 'Very High' because the article's central interpretive thesis relies on anonymous insiders, one quantified detail (exactly seven executed political prisoners) could not be pinned to a single authoritative figure, and the conflict is fast-moving, making some time-bound statements potentially outdated.
Search journal
Ali Khamenei killed dead Supreme Leader
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assassination_of_Ali_Khamenei
- https://www.nbcnews.com/world/iran/live-blog/israel-iran-live-updates-rcna261099
- https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/iran-begins-dayslong-funeral-for-the-late-supreme-leader-ayatollah-ali-k...
- https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/khamenei-death-regime-change-iran-9.7110285
Mojtaba Khamenei Supreme Leader Iran successor / took over March 8 not seen public
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Iranian_supreme_leader_election
- https://www.iranintl.com/en/202603030390
- https://www.cnbc.com/2026/03/11/five-things-to-know-about-irans-new-supreme-leader-mojtaba-khamenei.html
- https://www.cnn.com/2026/04/21/middleeast/iran-supreme-leader-intl
- https://www.iranintl.com/en/202603125349
Twelve-Day War Iran Israel June 2025 / US strikes Iran nuclear Fordow obliterated
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve-Day_War
- https://www.britannica.com/event/12-Day-War
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_United_States_strikes_on_Iranian_nuclear_sites
- https://www.whitehouse.gov/releases/2025/06/irans-nuclear-facilities-have-been-obliterated-and-suggestions-...
Iran executions political prisoners war 2025 / seven hanged during war
- https://www.euronews.com/2026/04/08/tehran-accelerates-executions-of-political-prisoners-since-start-of-iran-war
- https://www.npr.org/2026/05/06/nx-s1-5804464/iran-steps-up-executions-of-prisoners-under-cover-of-war
- https://iranhumanrights.org/2026/04/irans-execution-machine-political-hangings-surge-as-dozens-face-imminent-death/
- https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/focus-on-iran-three-men-are-executed-amid-war-marking-first-executions-of-dece...
Masoud Pezeshkian / Abbas Araqchi current roles 2026
Araqchi removed Israel hit list Pakistan mediation Iran US talks
- https://www.arabnews.com/node/2637719/middle-east
- https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/israel-backed-off-killing-irans-araghchi-qalibaf-at-pakistani-...
- https://moderndiplomacy.eu/2026/03/26/israel-pulled-top-iranian-officials-off-hit-list-after-pakistan-intervention/
- https://www.timesofisrael.com/us-indirectly-warned-iran-during-talks-that-israel-might-try-to-kill-its-top-...
Iran Strait of Hormuz closure 2026 block
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Strait_of_Hormuz_crisis
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_United_States_naval_blockade_of_Iran
- https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/6/11/iran-shuts-hormuz-strait-but-wasnt-it-already-closed
Iran anti-government protests January 2026 crackdown
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025%E2%80%932026_Iranian_protests
- https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/campaigns/2026/01/what-happened-at-the-protests-in-iran/
- https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-10462/
- https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/iran-country-policy-and-information-notes/country-bulletin-iran-...
Article metrics
The article we checked Full text as retrieved ⌄
Item 1 of 2 Iranians gather at a park on Nature Day, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Tehran, Iran, April 2, 2026. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS
**[1/2]**Iranians gather at a park on Nature Day, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Tehran, Iran, April 2, 2026. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS [Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab](
* Summary
* Authorities say rallies show resolve and unity amid war
* Senior officials join gatherings despite targeted killings
* Aim is to show the system remains in control, analysts say
* Rights groups say potential anti-government protesters stay off streets
DUBAI, April 3 (Reuters) - After more than a month of being stalked by targeted assassinations, Iran's leadership has adopted a new tactic to show it is still in control - with senior officials walking openly in the streets among small crowds who have gathered in support of the Islamic Republic.
In recent days, Iran's president and foreign minister have separately mixed with groups of several hundred people in central Tehran. On Tuesday, state television aired footage of the two posing for selfies, talking to members of the public and shaking hands with supporters who had gathered in public areas.
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According to insiders and analysts, the appearances are part of a calculated effort by Iran's theocratic leadership to project resilience and authority — not only over the vital [Strait of Hormuz]( but also over the population — despite a sustained U.S.-Israeli campaign aimed at "obliterating" it.
One insider close to the hardline establishment said such public outings are intended to show that the Islamic Republic is "unshaken by strikes and that it remains in control and vigilant" as [the war grinds on](
The U.S.-Israeli war on Iran began on February 28 with the killing of veteran Supreme Leader Ayatollah [Ali Khamenei]( and several senior military commanders in waves of strikes that have since continued to target [top officials](
Iran's new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has [not been seen in public]( since taking over on March 8 from his father. Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, meanwhile, was [removed]( from Israel's hit list amid mediation efforts last month, including by Pakistan, to bring Tehran and Washington together for talks to end the war.
Talks aimed at ending the war have since appeared to have petered out, as Tehran brands U.S. peace proposals "unrealistic". Against that backdrop, recent public appearances by President Masoud Pezeshkian and Araqchi appear designed to project defiance, if not a convincing display of public support.
A senior Iranian source said officials' public presence demonstrates that "the establishment is not intimidated by Israel's targeted killing of top Iranian figures".
Asked whether Iran's foreign minister or president were on any sort of kill list, an Israeli military spokesperson, Nadav Shoshani, said on Friday he would not "speak about specific personnel."
## NIGHTLY RALLIES TO SHOW RESILIENCE
Despite widespread destruction, Tehran appears emboldened by surviving weeks of intense U.S.-Israeli attacks, firing on Gulf countries hosting U.S. troops and demonstrating its ability to effectively block the Strait of Hormuz.
On Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump vowed more aggressive strikes on Iran, without [offering a timeline]( for ending hostilities. Tehran responded by warning the United States and Israel that "more crushing, broader and more destructive" attacks were in store.
Encouraged by clerical rulers, supporters of the Islamic Republic take to the streets each night, filling public squares to show loyalty even as bombs rain down across the country.
Analysts say the establishment is also seeking to raise the "political and reputational" cost of the strikes at a time when civilian casualties are deeply disturbing for Iranians.
Omid Memarian, a senior Iran analyst at DAWN, a Washington-based think tank, said the decision to send officials into gatherings reflects a layered strategy, including an effort to sustain the morale of core supporters at a moment of acute pressure.
"The system relies heavily on this base; if its supporters withdraw from public space, its ability to project control and authority weakens significantly," Memarian said.
Speaking to state television, some in the crowds voice unwavering loyalty to Iran's leadership; others oppose the bombing of their country regardless of politics; and some have a stake in the system, including government employees, students and others whose livelihoods are tied to it.
Hadi Ghaemi, head of the New York-based Center for Human Rights in Iran, said the establishment is using such loyal crowds as human shields to raise the cost of any assassination attempts.
"By being in the middle of large crowds they have protections that would make Israeli-American attacks against them very bloody and generate sympathy worldwide," he said.
## POTENTIAL PROTESTERS STAY OFF STREETS AT NIGHT
The Islamic Republic emerged from a 1979 revolution backed by millions of Iranians. But decades of rule marked by corruption, repression and mismanagement have thinned that support, alienating many ordinary people.
While there has been little sign so far of anti-government protests that erupted in January and abated after a deadly crackdown, the establishment has adopted harsh measures - such as arrests, executions and large-scale deployment of security forces - to prevent any sparks of dissent.
Rights groups have warned about "rushed executions" during wartime after Iran hanged at least seven political prisoners during the war.
"Many potential protesters are frightened by the continuing presence of armed men and violent crowds in the streets and largely stay at home once darkness falls," Ghaemi said.
Writing by Parisa Hafezi Editing by Ros Russell
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