According to an exclusive report by Iran International, Iran is allegedly advancing its efforts to equip ballistic missiles with chemical and biological warheads. This development occurs against a backdrop of domestic turmoil, as the nation grapples with a plummeting currency and rampant inflation, further stoking public unrest.

The report, based on information from unnamed military and security sources, suggests that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is not only enhancing its missile technology but also advancing its command-and-control systems. If these activities are confirmed, they could significantly heighten concerns in both Washington and Israel, especially as Iran faces significant internal strife.

This revelation coincides with a critical meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Donald Trump. The discussions, according to officials from both nations, are expected to prioritize Iran’s missile advancements and broader regional security issues. Additionally, the ongoing conflict in Gaza is set to be a topic of concern, with U.S. officials anxious over Netanyahu’s apparent hesitation in progressing toward postwar resolutions and ceasefire initiatives.

In a related visual, a military truck is seen transporting a missile, passing by a portrait of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during an annual military parade, underscoring the nation’s military focus. (Photo by Atta Kenare/AFP/Getty Images)

Further complicating the situation, Iran International reports that missile infrastructure has been strategically expanded and relocated, with some assets moved to eastern Iran to decrease their exposure to potential threats. The IRGC is reportedly investigating unconventional warhead designs for their long-range missile arsenal, raising the stakes in an already tense geopolitical climate.

Tehran has long denied pursuing chemical or biological weapons, insisting its missile program is defensive. Iran is a signatory to the Chemical Weapons Convention, though Western governments have repeatedly accused the Islamic Republic of violating international norms.

Iranian missiles exhibited in a park on Jan. 20, 2024 in Tehran, Iran. Iran has been a key player in several overlapping regional conflicts, with its recent airstrikes in Iraq, Syria and Pakistan, and its support of Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and the Houthi movement in Yemen. (Majid Saeedi/Getty Images)

The missile report coincides with escalating economic unrest inside Iran. Iran International reported Monday that shopkeepers in Tehran shut down major markets for a second consecutive day, protesting inflation and the collapse of the national currency.

A video from Tehran posted on Simay Azadi’s TV X page on Monday showed a large crowd marching in the streets and chanting slogans against the regime.

An Iranian opposition group, the National Council of Resistance of Iran, said the strikes spread across multiple commercial districts, including the Gold Bazaar and central arcades, with crowds gathering in surrounding streets. The group also claimed security forces linked to the IRGC were placed on heightened alert in Tehran, with additional units on standby in nearby provinces. The claims could not be independently verified.

People light a fire during a protest over the death of Mahsa Amini, a woman who died after being arrested by the Islamic republic’s “morality police”, in Tehran, Iran, on Sept. 21, 2022. (West Asia News Agency)

In a statement, Maryam Rajavi, NCRI president-elect, said the protests reflected public anger over high prices, inflation and political repression, and called on Iranians to support the striking merchants.

The Iranian rial has fallen to a new record low against the U.S. dollar. Official data show year-on-year inflation reached 52.6% in December, while average annual inflation was 42.2%. Videos circulating online show chants against government officials and growing frustration among merchants, a group traditionally viewed as a key pillar of regime support.