I may be wrong but I think that, any theocractic country to retain its power, is very likely to treat any minor differences as something huge to maintain its relevancy.
Even treating the citizens of its own who are unhappy with the govt. can be treated as betrayal or propagandized by the theocracy to retain its power and curb dissentment of which IRGC is part of.
I feel like its worth mentioning that Iran had actual democracy with Mohammad Mosaddegh but the CIA got involved for (oil purposes) and overthrew the democracy to get the Shah and Shah although liberal in say how girls wore, was still a very brutal dictator
It was the students themselves and religious figures and everyday citizens that got united to fight against the shah and they had thought that things would get better but they hadn't decided as to what next and so the religious power seized Iran affecting the very students that helped them get into power.
So I do think that the idea about foreign govt. overthrowing your govt. made the extremist sectors of shia gaining power after the 20'th century.
The story of average iranian is sad because they never got to witness democracy in its full form because as soon as it did, America/British tried to overthrow the democracy in worries about soviet connection/socialism and the religious leaders took that moment and gained power and brutally oppressed their own regime. Both sides are extremely messed up and all of this just mess/conflict could've been prevented which has made 90 million people live in tyranny under the Islamic regime and now also in danger of war :(