Israeli Strike on Iran’s Evin Prison Unites Regime Critics Behind Supreme Leader

According to Saed News, the New York Times has sharply criticized Israel’s decision to target Evin Prison during the recent twelve-day conflict, arguing that the strike has not only violated international norms but inadvertently rallied domestic opposition figures behind Iran’s leadership. In an article titled “Even Iran’s Critics Condemn Strike on Evin,” the paper underscores how the attack blurred the lines between dissidence and allegiance.

The assault, carried out just a day before a declared ceasefire, left at least 71 dead, including prison staff, conscripts, inmates, visiting family members, and even nearby residents. Among the dead were at least two children, unaffiliated with the prison. Satellite imagery and videos analyzed by The Washington Post confirmed that four separate structures within Evin were hit, including administrative offices, visitation halls, solitary confinement wings, and the medical facility.

Two former detainees consulted by the Post identified significant damage to core areas of the prison, long synonymous with Iran’s crackdown on dissent. The attack, they noted, obliterated sections often used for political prisoners.

Israel defended the strike, with military spokesperson Avi Daffrin claiming Evin served as a hub for intelligence operations and counterespionage against Israel. He insisted the operation aimed to minimize civilian casualties.

Yet the New York Times contends the move backfired diplomatically. “Even political prisoners have expressed rare support for Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei,” the article notes, pointing to a surge in domestic cohesion spurred by what many Iranians view as an act of aggression against defenseless detainees.

The incident, while intended as a tactical blow against Iranian security infrastructure, appears to have galvanized national sentiment—bridging ideological divides in unexpected ways.