Inside Iran’s preparations for war and plans for survival

In early January, as Iran faced

nationwide protests and the threat of strikes by the United States

, the nation’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei turned to a trusted and loyal lieutenant to steer the country: Mr Ali Larijani, the country’s top national security official.

Since then, Mr Larijani, 67, a veteran politician, a former commander in the Revolutionary Guard and current head of the Supreme National Security Council, has effectively been running the country. His rise has sidelined President Masoud Pezeshkian, a heart surgeon turned politician, who has faced a challenging year in office and continues to say publicly that “I’m a doctor, not a politician”, and that no one should expect him to solve the multitude of problems in Iran.