Resolution Criteria
This market resolves to the outcome that best describes Iran's political situation by end of 2026. Resolution will be determined by assessing the primary governing structure and power dynamics in Iran as of December 31, 2026, based on credible reporting from international news sources, government statements, and expert analysis.
Unyielding Islamic Regime: The clerical system remains in control with minimal structural change to governance or ideology, effectively no concessions to the coalition or protestors. Pre war status quo or even more radicalism.
Deal with minor concessions: A negotiated settlement between the regime and the coalition/protestors, involving small compromises on nuclear program, sanctions relief, or political reforms, equal to or inferior to the Obama Deal.
Deal with major concessions: A negotiated settlement between the regime and the coalition/protestors, involving significant compromises on nuclear program, sanctions relief, or political reforms, equal to or superior to the pre war Trump demands.
Balkanization/long civil war: Iran fragments into competing regional or factional control with sustained armed conflict between multiple groups, akin to Balkans, Libya, Iraq, Syria, etc, which would render it incapable to finance and execute sophisticated missile or MOD programs. Armed conflicts should last over an year after US withdrawals, being more interested in chaos than a specific side winning.
Venezuela-style puppet state: No regime change, only amputation/pruning, but the regime is forced to bow to american demands and becomes effectively controlled by the US and dependant on it.
Military coup (Artesh): The regular armed forces (Artesh) seize control from clerical leadership and establish military rule, be it transitional or permanent.
Popular takeover: A grassroots movement successfully displaces the regime through sustained protests, strikes, popular uprising, takeover by militias, be it suppoeted by the coalition/artesh or not, creating transitional or permanent civillian rule,
Voluntary transition of power: The regime voluntarily transfers authority to a new civilian government through negotiated or constitutional means, without the need for a coup, a revolution, puppeting, etc.
Background
Operation Epic Fury began on February 28, 2026, when the United States and Israel launched extensive strikes against targets in Iran. The opening salvo killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and dozens of other top Iranian officials. The stated military objectives included preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, destroying its missile arsenal, degrading proxy networks, and annihilating its navy, alongside a desired political outcome of regime change from within.
Massive nationwide anti-government protests erupted in late December 2025, driven by economic crisis and currency collapse, becoming the largest in scale since the 1979 revolution. The protests reflect frustrations rooted in long-term corruption, economic mismanagement, political repression and declining living standards. The Iranian government responded with massacres of protesters, with the deadliest incidents occurring on January 8 and 10, 2026.
Considerations
Israeli strikes destroyed the building where Iran's Assembly of Experts was expected to meet on March 3, 2026, delaying Iran's ability to select a new supreme leader after Khamenei's death. This creates institutional uncertainty about succession mechanisms. The IRGC could potentially sideline clerical leadership and act as a kingmaker in constructing a new order, as seen in Egypt and Pakistan. Security forces remained loyal during the January 2026 protests, suggesting institutional cohesion despite external pressure. The outcome will depend on the interplay between sustained popular unrest, military institutional interests, and ongoing external military pressure.
Resolution criteria will be refined in 1 week after market creation.
This description was generated by AI.
Update 2026-03-23 (PST) (AI summary of creator comment): In cases where a secret deal is claimed but not confirmed, resolution will be based on Iran's actual behavior, potentially with an extended deadline. Key indicators include:
Whether attacks continue after US withdrawal
Whether Iran halts its ballistic missile and nuclear programs
How Iran treats its own population
Whether the government fractures due to internal disagreement over any deal
Default resolution in ambiguous cases will be Unyielding Islamic Regime. To avoid this, Iran must at minimum allow IAEA monitoring, cease attacks, and stop threatening the Strait of Hormuz (i.e., something at least equivalent to the Obama Deal).
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@HenriConfucius IMO this is a fantasy wish list (assuming it is even real) that contains no guarantees of security for Iran, they aren't going to dismantle their missile program and all their deterrents just to get attacked again in six months when the shields are down. The US has already shown that it's willing to tear up deals, Trump especially. Things like this will never happen because these sorts of agreements aren't worth the paper they are printed on when it comes to Trump. This is just posturing for the markets and/or a justification for further attacks when they inevitably reject it.
Then it will be resolved by what Iran actually does. We will wait it out and see what happens, potentially extending the deadline. Will attacks continue despite withdrawal? Will Iran halt their ballistic, nuclear programs? How are they treating their own population? Will the government fracture because only some parts signed the deal, while others resisted?
In case Iran maintains the same posture, it will count as unyielding islamic regime: this would be the default/most likely resolution in the case you described. To escape this at the very least they need to let AIEA monitor the situation in the ground, stop attacks and stop strangling Hormouz, ie something similar to the Obama deal as the bare minimum.
Good market, except for that "Irreverent Islamic Regime" means to me something way different than the resolution criteria, definitely not the status quo. AI generation error?
An actually more secular regime would also be an interesting market though!
Let's say uncompromising, or unyielding. Basically anything equivalent or harsher than maintaining the pre war status quo.
I meant irreverence towards the US/liberal world order/protestors. Created market while sleepy so didn't see it could be interpreted differently. And yeah description is mostly AI generated tho
Should I update the label and resolution criteria to clear this up? If anyone has any issue, let me know
@HenriConfucius I see. Yes, that makes sense. Maybe I'm reading too much into it and others aren't confused, but if possible I would suggest changing that option to "Pre-war status quo" or something similar.
Not a big deal, the description is fine.
@HenriConfucius Yes, you should definitely update the label. That's not what "irreverent" means. You will get more bettors if they understand the bet. :)