A protest in Tehran, Iran, in January. [AFP Yonhap News]

As the war between the United States, Israel, and Iran enters its second week, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran has issued a strong warning against the resurgence of anti-government protests.

In a statement released through the state-run IRIB broadcaster yesterday, the Revolutionary Guard accused "wicked enemies" of attempting to sow fear and incite street riots once again, failing in their battlefield objectives.

It further warned that any new unrest would be met with "a stronger blow than on January 8th."

Iranian citizens, citing severe economic hardship, began anti-government protests late last year that lasted for nearly a month. Iranian authorities, however, designated these demonstrations as riots and suppressed them with violence.

While Iranian authorities announced that over 3,000 people, including military personnel and bystanders, died during the protests, the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), an Iran-focused human rights group based in the United States, reported that the majority of the deceased were protesters and that the number exceeded 7,000.

There are also views that the anti-government protests in Iran served as a trigger for the United States to concentrate its largest-ever military force in the Middle East and launch a preemptive strike against Iran.

The Revolutionary Guard's warning against renewed protests comes amidst growing concerns about the prolonged war and as leaders of the United States and Israel have made statements encouraging protests by the Iranian people.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in his first press conference since the war began, stated yesterday, "I have added a third war goal: to create the conditions for the Iranian people to overthrow the cruel tyrannical regime that has oppressed them for nearly 50 years."

He then addressed the Iranian people, saying, "The moment for a new path towards freedom is approaching, and Israel stands with the Iranian people. But ultimately, it is all up to you."

Since the beginning of the conflict, U.S. President Donald Trump has also engaged in psychological warfare multiple times, attempting to incite an uprising within Iran through remarks such as, "This is the best opportunity for the Iranian people to take back their country."