The Tasnim News Agency, closely affiliated with the IRGC, quickly responded by attempting to discredit Bakhtiar. It claimed that he had never been a senior commander within the IRGC, thereby questioning both his credibility and his authority to speak on sensitive matters.
This denial, however, stood in contrast to numerous independent reports confirming his wartime service and high-ranking positions. The attempt to erase Bakhtiar’s past reflected a broader strategy by the authorities: discrediting critics by attacking their legitimacy.
Arrest and Confiscation
Shortly after releasing the audio, Al-Arabiya Farsi reported—citing the opposition-affiliated Saham News—that Bakhtiar’s home had been raided by security forces. He was allegedly arrested, and his personal belongings were confiscated. While state media remained silent about this arrest, opposition sources emphasized the regime’s efforts to silence a dissenting voice.
