Iranian Elites Fleeing Amid Protests as Former Trump Advisor Warns of Regime Collapse

Mounting unrest inside Iran is triggering visible fear within the ruling regime, including efforts by elites to move assets out of the country as protests continue and economic conditions deteriorate, Walid Phares, former foreign policy adviser to President Donald Trump, said Friday.

Phares noted that the message from President Trump—warning that the United States would intervene if Iranian authorities violently suppress demonstrators—has been felt most acutely inside Tehran. “The real people inside the regime are deterred, are concerned. Some of them are afraid,” he stated. “We even detected that they’re trying to send some of their valuables outside Iran.”

Phares described this wave as distinct from past unrest, emphasizing sustained pressure from multiple generations and worsening economic conditions. “This is not an overnight revolution that did not exist,” he said. “There were multiple waves. This is people with four generations now pushing for freedom in addition to the economic collapse that’s happening in Iran.”

He highlighted significant shifts within Iran’s financial infrastructure, noting that “the Wall Street of Iran, the financial centers of Iran, the bazaar has moved.” Phares characterized this movement as a critical indicator that unrest has reached beyond isolated protests to affect the country’s economic core.

Phares added that the current moment reflects unprecedented mobilization, stating protesters have already gained control of 30% of institutions and militias within Iran. “The Iranian people need to hear the voice of the most powerful man in the world,” he said, referring to President Trump as a decisive force capable of accelerating regime change without direct military intervention.