In an opinion article written by Iranian-American journalist Holly Dagres, the emerging US-Iran deal is presented not only as a diplomatic reversal, but as a moral blow to the Iranian people who risked everything against the Islamic Republic
Dagres argues that President Trump’s earlier message to Iranians — that “help is on the way” — raised expectations among protesters and dissidents that Washington would not merely weaken the regime, but support the people trying to bring it down.
Instead, the new diplomatic track appears to leave the ruling system in place, giving Tehran a chance to survive, regroup and claim victory.
For Iranian protesters, this is not an abstract foreign policy debate. It is a matter of life and death. The regime has already used executions, mass arrests, internet blackouts and brutal repression to crush dissent. Many Iranians believed that after months of war and unprecedented pressure, the US would not stop at a deal that keeps the mullahs in power.