Iran emerged weakened and vulnerable after war with Israel − and that could mean trouble for country’s ethnic minorities

Iranians celebrate the ceasefire in downtown Tehran, but many blame their own leaders for the escalation. Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto via Getty Images Shukriya Bradost, Virginia Tech The 12-day confrontation between Iran and Israel in June 2025 may not have escalated into a full-scale regional war, but it marks a potentially critical turning point in