Good luck with that. The president of the US and his cronies don’t care about his own people’s freedom, let alone Iranians’ (who frankly speaking, deserve freedom at least as much as the Americans, too many of whom are allowing their liberties to be stolen).
The Ayatollah regime in Iran needs to go, and good on Iranian citizens for helping to get there. But it'll be all for nothing if Trump treats it as yet another case of "meet the new boss, same as the old boss".
Your beloved President Trump doesn't care one bit about you or any other Iranian. Take a look at Iraq for a second. When America gets rid of the dictator, it becomes the dictator.
But like it or not, he clearly shows more support than past leaders with concrete facts and actions. That along makes a huge difference for the oppressed people. They way events have unfolded in Venezuela and Iran are unseen and they give them a light at the end of the tunnel. Even though they are welcome, your concerns for these oppressed countries are too late. They will not change the way these oppressed citizens see the whole situation.
The threat Trump could pose will never be higher than what they are living right now. That's for sure and you can not dispute it.
No he doesn’t. He breaks the law and grabs assets. Look at how he’s treated Venezuela since he had Maduro kidnapped. He doesn’t want a transition to democracy or for the legitimate winner of the 2024 elections to be anywhere near power in Venezuela. He wants the oil. And guess what Iran has?
We are closer to a path to democracy today than 8 days ago. Also, Venezuela was an oil partner with the USA for 80 years before these criminal invaded our country. We will go back to that partnership. No worries. We know how deal Oil companies. We have a century of experience and the results were good until the communists and narcos criminals took over the country. Thanks for your concern.
I wish there were a reason to think the current administration would support Iran's dissidents. There is none. The evidence available to date is that the administration will harm Iran to protect Israel and will attempt to install a compliant, Trump-friendly dictator kleptocrat. This will not benefit the people of Iran or you dissidents.
Fourth, Trump needs to order his ICE goons to go home. The US has no moral authority to lecture or threaten the ayatollah re cracking down on protesters while ICE is shooting unarmed moms in their cars.
I can't hold myself in anymore and feel I must offer some of my observations during the last revolution of 1979. Please also remember these are my recollections and may not be factually or historically accurate.
I was in Isfahan from September 1976 to New Years day 1979. It was a glorious time to be in Iran with a rising middle class and the beginnings of democracy. The last Shah to put it mildly was not universally loved. The Savak was equal opportunity, we Americans feared it just as much as the Iranians. There was widespread inequality, corruption, and coercion. The Shah's governing model was an iron fist in a velvet glove. I have a large number of recommendations for Reza Pahlavi II if he wants them.
Starting in late summer 1978, 2 rumors started that were to become pivotal. At that time, there was one major newspaper, and the rest of the news was disseminated by rumor. Iran had a world class rumor mill, and I suspect it is no different today. Khomeini was rumored to be allowed to come back after exile, and the Shah's daily picture in the Kayhan English language paper stopped for about 2 weeks. It then restarted with obviously fake or retouched photos with equally fake storylines. A large part of the populace was ready for change and the rumors started protests with martial law starting in Isfahan in September 1978. For once Isfahan was ahead of the curve. For the last 3 months that I was there, the former US consulate was burned down, the power was turned off nightly in Julfa and surrounding neighborhoods (except on Christmas day), there were rumors of bodies floating in the Zayandeh Rud, and I believe I was in close proximity to a public execution held in the streets on our way home from my work. I remember buying the Time magazine with the cover of a picture of the Shah surrounded by flames from the main bazaar. A group of older men looked on as I paid the vendor for the magazine and I desperately wanted to talk to them and know what they were thinking. Unfortunately my Farsi was only good enough to get around in a taxi and I was only able to look into their eyes with as much empathy as I could muster. The situation became dire and I and 380 other Americans were flown out of the brand new Isfahan airport on New Years day, 1979.
I remember that Jimmy Carter had talked about sending US warships to the gulf as a show of support for the Shah. Had that happened, I did not hold much hope for the survival of Americans in Iran. What I learned was that Iranians are a proud and resourceful people with a huge amount of culture and are very welcoming. They also don't need any other country to tell them what to do or how to act. If you expect the US to perform regime change without a large bill in the mail, you are from a different planet. Iranians effected regime change without the internet in 1979, the lack of internet will not prevent regime change in 2026. Iran is well past the 3.5 percent of the population that is required to change the regime. In 1979 the economy was stable even after the revolution - just enough to solidify the regime. Today is different. The economy is in free fall, there is no water, and foreign adventures are proving pointless in daily life. Do not ask the US for anything. If you want real change and an ally, look to the EU, Canada, Japan, and especially Ukraine for economic assistance and investment, political structure, and even security assistance. The US has lit itself on fire and cannot be trusted for many years. I moved to Canada for love and stayed for a place that I am proud to weep when the national anthem is played. One of the last times that a group of us expats had supper with some of our Iranian staff, we were asking them what the Iranian national anthem sounded like. One of the group got up and not as much sang the anthem, as became the anthem. Absolutely stirring. Iranians do not need help, they need hope. The US cannot do that, the rest of the world can and will.
Thank Kary. I was a student in Australia when that was going on, and of course we only saw the tip of the iceberg. Your eye-witness memories are valuable, and your hard-thought advice is strong.
In a disgusting display of arrogance and lawlessness Cheeto declared that the only thing now that can stop him is his own morality!!( https://bit.ly/4r5RS15)
Let that sink in for a moment This demented depraved malignant narcissist just said the quiet dictator speak out loud No laws constrain him or his regime No domestic or international norms can check his decision making No advisors or country’s opinions will make any difference as to what he will do
Yes How he views the world and his own immoral depravity will decide how he will proceed
This is the culmination of years of a psychotic mind’s development that is now so demented that it leverages the free domestic and world order Time to protest like never before and call your Congress people to obstruct him in every way possible It may not take a midterm election to get him impeached
We need to stop seeing the world through petty privileged lense of US domestic policies. The fact is, King in orange is the figurehead behind the most powerful symbol of freedom to every exist - and while it’s both repugnant and illogical to us, to those on the outside he’s someone who can bring the means to help their situation. And it’s not unreasonable to expect them to try and manipulate this circus
I totally get that Iranians need, want, and deserve help in guaranteeing political self-determination. But Trump is only a self-dealer who is it in for his own benefit. You can't trust the man farther than you can throw him.
By all means, try asking Trump for help. Desperate times call for desperate measures. But be prepared to receive nothing but backstabbing and treachery. Ask the Kurds, the Ukrainians, the Venezuelan opposition...
The things the US can do that you suggest are pretty weak sauce. Making Starlink available to Iranians would help in some ways. Expelling diplomats is pure theatre and cannot have any real effect.
It is the third suggestion that has the most teeth in that it threatens Iran's rulers. The problem is the US cannot shanghai Iranian leaders out of Iran like we did with Maduro because his security was riddled with holes and could be easily thwarted. We knew where he was for example. Iranian security is much better.
After all, if we can take out Madura why can't Trump be taken out? The answer is the US had very good security. So do most major countries as well as those who face a threat from a Great Power like Iraq, Iran or N Korea who were put on Bush's Axis of Evil. Maduro had poor security because they never dreamed the US would go after him. It took years for the US to track down and kill Bin Laden. And though we tried we never nailed Saddam, got close once.
What is needed. Clear possible implementable steps. But it is critical that the USA or Israel or anyone not say things that will lead lambs to their slaughter.
Good luck with that. The president of the US and his cronies don’t care about his own people’s freedom, let alone Iranians’ (who frankly speaking, deserve freedom at least as much as the Americans, too many of whom are allowing their liberties to be stolen).
The Ayatollah regime in Iran needs to go, and good on Iranian citizens for helping to get there. But it'll be all for nothing if Trump treats it as yet another case of "meet the new boss, same as the old boss".
Exactly.
PS. What the Trump Regime wants to make ICE into, the IRGC already is.
Your beloved President Trump doesn't care one bit about you or any other Iranian. Take a look at Iraq for a second. When America gets rid of the dictator, it becomes the dictator.
But like it or not, he clearly shows more support than past leaders with concrete facts and actions. That along makes a huge difference for the oppressed people. They way events have unfolded in Venezuela and Iran are unseen and they give them a light at the end of the tunnel. Even though they are welcome, your concerns for these oppressed countries are too late. They will not change the way these oppressed citizens see the whole situation.
The threat Trump could pose will never be higher than what they are living right now. That's for sure and you can not dispute it.
No he doesn’t. He breaks the law and grabs assets. Look at how he’s treated Venezuela since he had Maduro kidnapped. He doesn’t want a transition to democracy or for the legitimate winner of the 2024 elections to be anywhere near power in Venezuela. He wants the oil. And guess what Iran has?
We are closer to a path to democracy today than 8 days ago. Also, Venezuela was an oil partner with the USA for 80 years before these criminal invaded our country. We will go back to that partnership. No worries. We know how deal Oil companies. We have a century of experience and the results were good until the communists and narcos criminals took over the country. Thanks for your concern.
I hope you may be right. I have my doubts. One kleptocracy replacing another is no improvement.
I wish there were a reason to think the current administration would support Iran's dissidents. There is none. The evidence available to date is that the administration will harm Iran to protect Israel and will attempt to install a compliant, Trump-friendly dictator kleptocrat. This will not benefit the people of Iran or you dissidents.
Fourth, Trump needs to order his ICE goons to go home. The US has no moral authority to lecture or threaten the ayatollah re cracking down on protesters while ICE is shooting unarmed moms in their cars.
As if on cue, the Ayatollah uses Minneapolis to justify his own repression. https://www.iranintl.com/en/202601122247
Trump Lays Out a Vision of Power Restrained Only by ‘My Own Morality’ "Only I Can Fix It!"
I can't hold myself in anymore and feel I must offer some of my observations during the last revolution of 1979. Please also remember these are my recollections and may not be factually or historically accurate.
I was in Isfahan from September 1976 to New Years day 1979. It was a glorious time to be in Iran with a rising middle class and the beginnings of democracy. The last Shah to put it mildly was not universally loved. The Savak was equal opportunity, we Americans feared it just as much as the Iranians. There was widespread inequality, corruption, and coercion. The Shah's governing model was an iron fist in a velvet glove. I have a large number of recommendations for Reza Pahlavi II if he wants them.
Starting in late summer 1978, 2 rumors started that were to become pivotal. At that time, there was one major newspaper, and the rest of the news was disseminated by rumor. Iran had a world class rumor mill, and I suspect it is no different today. Khomeini was rumored to be allowed to come back after exile, and the Shah's daily picture in the Kayhan English language paper stopped for about 2 weeks. It then restarted with obviously fake or retouched photos with equally fake storylines. A large part of the populace was ready for change and the rumors started protests with martial law starting in Isfahan in September 1978. For once Isfahan was ahead of the curve. For the last 3 months that I was there, the former US consulate was burned down, the power was turned off nightly in Julfa and surrounding neighborhoods (except on Christmas day), there were rumors of bodies floating in the Zayandeh Rud, and I believe I was in close proximity to a public execution held in the streets on our way home from my work. I remember buying the Time magazine with the cover of a picture of the Shah surrounded by flames from the main bazaar. A group of older men looked on as I paid the vendor for the magazine and I desperately wanted to talk to them and know what they were thinking. Unfortunately my Farsi was only good enough to get around in a taxi and I was only able to look into their eyes with as much empathy as I could muster. The situation became dire and I and 380 other Americans were flown out of the brand new Isfahan airport on New Years day, 1979.
I remember that Jimmy Carter had talked about sending US warships to the gulf as a show of support for the Shah. Had that happened, I did not hold much hope for the survival of Americans in Iran. What I learned was that Iranians are a proud and resourceful people with a huge amount of culture and are very welcoming. They also don't need any other country to tell them what to do or how to act. If you expect the US to perform regime change without a large bill in the mail, you are from a different planet. Iranians effected regime change without the internet in 1979, the lack of internet will not prevent regime change in 2026. Iran is well past the 3.5 percent of the population that is required to change the regime. In 1979 the economy was stable even after the revolution - just enough to solidify the regime. Today is different. The economy is in free fall, there is no water, and foreign adventures are proving pointless in daily life. Do not ask the US for anything. If you want real change and an ally, look to the EU, Canada, Japan, and especially Ukraine for economic assistance and investment, political structure, and even security assistance. The US has lit itself on fire and cannot be trusted for many years. I moved to Canada for love and stayed for a place that I am proud to weep when the national anthem is played. One of the last times that a group of us expats had supper with some of our Iranian staff, we were asking them what the Iranian national anthem sounded like. One of the group got up and not as much sang the anthem, as became the anthem. Absolutely stirring. Iranians do not need help, they need hope. The US cannot do that, the rest of the world can and will.
Thank Kary. I was a student in Australia when that was going on, and of course we only saw the tip of the iceberg. Your eye-witness memories are valuable, and your hard-thought advice is strong.
Cheeto’s Morality Governs America And World
In a disgusting display of arrogance and lawlessness Cheeto declared that the only thing now that can stop him is his own morality!!( https://bit.ly/4r5RS15)
Let that sink in for a moment This demented depraved malignant narcissist just said the quiet dictator speak out loud No laws constrain him or his regime No domestic or international norms can check his decision making No advisors or country’s opinions will make any difference as to what he will do
Yes How he views the world and his own immoral depravity will decide how he will proceed
This is the culmination of years of a psychotic mind’s development that is now so demented that it leverages the free domestic and world order Time to protest like never before and call your Congress people to obstruct him in every way possible It may not take a midterm election to get him impeached
Iran without the regime would do well to pursue elections and democracy, so that the minorities, Kurds, etc. have a say in who governs and how:
I will strongly, strongly advise, no matter how bad things get, do not ask Trump for help.
We need to stop seeing the world through petty privileged lense of US domestic policies. The fact is, King in orange is the figurehead behind the most powerful symbol of freedom to every exist - and while it’s both repugnant and illogical to us, to those on the outside he’s someone who can bring the means to help their situation. And it’s not unreasonable to expect them to try and manipulate this circus
I totally get that Iranians need, want, and deserve help in guaranteeing political self-determination. But Trump is only a self-dealer who is it in for his own benefit. You can't trust the man farther than you can throw him.
Liked, restacked & shared to Bluesky (as always). Thank you for this article.
But there will be no support on American college campuses unless Qatar pays for them. Qatar is also your enemy.
By all means, try asking Trump for help. Desperate times call for desperate measures. But be prepared to receive nothing but backstabbing and treachery. Ask the Kurds, the Ukrainians, the Venezuelan opposition...
PS. These editorial cartoons nail it perfectly:
https://brooklyneagle.com/361777/cartoon-sketchbook-jan-15-2026/
The things the US can do that you suggest are pretty weak sauce. Making Starlink available to Iranians would help in some ways. Expelling diplomats is pure theatre and cannot have any real effect.
It is the third suggestion that has the most teeth in that it threatens Iran's rulers. The problem is the US cannot shanghai Iranian leaders out of Iran like we did with Maduro because his security was riddled with holes and could be easily thwarted. We knew where he was for example. Iranian security is much better.
After all, if we can take out Madura why can't Trump be taken out? The answer is the US had very good security. So do most major countries as well as those who face a threat from a Great Power like Iraq, Iran or N Korea who were put on Bush's Axis of Evil. Maduro had poor security because they never dreamed the US would go after him. It took years for the US to track down and kill Bin Laden. And though we tried we never nailed Saddam, got close once.
What is needed. Clear possible implementable steps. But it is critical that the USA or Israel or anyone not say things that will lead lambs to their slaughter.