Support the Iranian People Yearning for Freedom and Break Tehran's Grip

The world stands at a crossroads. Israel’s military campaign to destroy Iran’s nuclear weapons program is a long-overdue blow for the civilized world and deserves America’s full and unwavering support.

For decades, the Islamic Republic of Iran has been the leading state sponsor of terrorism, has sowed chaos throughout the Middle East, and has exported instability around the globe. But it has also exacted brutal treatment of its own people. As it now races toward nuclear capability, the United States must recognize a fundamental truth: Lasting change in Iran can only come from the Iranian people themselves.

Grounded in brutality and extremism, this regime has shown time and again that neither external pressure nor internal moderation can alter its essential character. Indeed, the nuclear program is one of the dictatorship’s key means of survival, as it seeks to protect itself from both internal and external pressure to change through the acquisition of nuclear weapons.

Here in the United States and around the globe, I have spoken to thousands of Iranian people who escaped the Iranian regime. Their stories have reinforced what we already know: The Iranian dictatorship is very unpopular with the people of Iran.

This should come as no surprise given the fact that the Iranian people have no say in who their government is or how it functions, nor can they speak freely or exercise any of the many rights we take for granted. They live under a corrupt despotism that has made their country a global pariah, mired them in economic crisis, and has now plunged their country into war.

Popular dissatisfaction in Iran has been brutally suppressed, but the evidence suggests that it is enduring and broad. The mass pro-democracy protests that swept the country in 2022 saw participation across Iranian society, and the subsequent crackdown on these protests has only deepened the chasm between the rulers and those ruled. It also highlighted the fact that the regime fears its own people as much – if not more – than any external enemy.

As the regime reels from Israel’s devastating military campaign, the Iranian people may well be poised to challenge this weakened dictatorship and demand their freedom. Unlike many authoritarian countries, Iran has a well-established, organized opposition movement that commands substantial support inside the country and is based around respect for fundamental democratic rights and processes. This asset has been overlooked by American policymakers for far too long.

Some critics say that any talk of supporting the aspirations of the people of Iran amounts to a policy of regime change. This misses the point entirely. Recognizing and supporting Iran’s pro-democracy movement merely acknowledges the reality that sustainable positive change in Iran can only come from the Iranian people.

When the communist dictatorships behind the Iron Curtain began to fall one by one, it wasn’t because of CIA operatives or American tanks; it was because the regimes had grown decrepit enough for the people to seize their chance and press for freedom.

Weakened by Israel’s strikes and facing mounting internal pressure, the Islamic Republic is more vulnerable than it has been in decades. But history teaches us that authoritarian collapse can happen quickly and unpredictably. If we’re not prepared to support Iran’s democratic forces, chaos could fill the vacuum—benefiting extremists and America’s adversaries.

This moment demands American leadership rooted in our founding principles. Iran’s pro-democracy movement deserves our support – and their success would serve our national interests like few other foreign policy achievements could.

It’s time to stand against the evil regime in Tehran – and to stand with the people of Iran.

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