After Iran’s new supreme leader takes power, Iranian-American activist Moj Mahdara warns the regime may grow even more brutal—and says many Iranians now see Donald Trump as their best hope for change.
There are many, many Iranians who both oppose the clerical government and are strongly opposed to Trump’s illegal and unconstitutional war. He and Netanyahu are intent on literally destroying Iran. You’d do better to condemn Trump outright and speak to more nuanced Iranians. I’ve been there several times as a reporter.
Iranians “completely trust Donald Trump” as their “only hope” for freedom. Brilliant. The guy who bombed their schools, killed 1,230+ including 181 children, posted meme videos of the carnage, and has the strategic clarity of a broken GPS is definitely their liberator.
“Imagine being bombarded and screaming no ceasefire” …yeah, imagine thinking the person doing the bombing is your savior.
That’s some advanced Stockholm Syndrome geopolitics right there.
Trump’s grand plan? The “Venezuela formula” , where he installed a Maduro loyalist after capturing Maduro and declared victory. So inspiring. Really screams “freedom and democracy.”
This is Iraqi exiles 2003 all over again: Foreign invasion will totally liberate us, definitely won’t create decade of chaos, trust America this time, what could go wrong? Narrator: Everything went wrong.
The oligarchical corridor doesn’t do regime change for your freedom, it does it for extraction and control. But sure, pin your hopes on the guy with fried circuits who can’t remember what he said yesterday about why he started the war.
Iranians deserve better than brutal theocracy. They also deserve better thinking than this delusion.
Great reporting Tara. You put it profound. I see similarities in Venezuela. As this is being a this is for change that the people want. While at the same time. We don’t want War here. So I can see people saying and hoping for a regime change and a completely different governing. But look at the protests I could definitely see them thinking Trump is their only change. But look who they just put as the replacement. I think he’s the same as the other guy they had in power. So I don’t see anything changing.
I could only imagine the desperation and suffering of good Iranian people that hurt and yearn for a life. I don’t believe that a democratic government will be established in Iran. But for sure lots and lots and more and more deaths and suffering will continue to happen. Politicians and billionaires from the US and abroad continued corruption will not stop, trump has placed it in the palm of their hands now more than ever. The politicians’ “secret” and personal agendas continue and the disdain and contempt from politicians and billionaires in power towards the American people will not cease.
Thanks Tara: Congrats on your first year. A great guest, A different perspective of the issue. I feel sorry for those who trust Trump . The claim that Trump wants to get a democracy in Iran while he is trying to destroy Americas democracy does not make sense. The Ghost of Epstein & Netanyahu has got Trump lighting up the middle east with a fire storm that he can not extinguish. The new Iranian leader is more brutal that his father. He has the control of the republican guard and they will slaughter any freedom loving protesters. Putin , Trumps BFF is sending targeting advise to the Iranians. Go figure. As far as Pete Hegseth goes , I feel he thinks he is operating a Christian Nationalist apocalypse of Iran as described in the biblical book of Revelation.
Trump is in the process of wrecking THIS country. . . . the Iranians would be crazy to think he'd do anything to improve theirs! He's trying to foist the same kind of repressive religious fascism on us as they have had under their Khamenei regime: except ours is Christian Nationalism rather than radical Islam.
Good god. Every Iranian needs to know exactly ONE thing. trump doesn't give a shit about Americans. You honestly think he gives an ounce of shit about you? He is not in the least bit concerned about who rules over your people. He will literally continue to destroy your Country as long as it deflects any illegal shit focused on him.
If so,they won't be looking for long...they need to hear Lyndsey Grahams latest gleeful rant about the Trump agenda. It's not about saving ANY Iranians. (or us either quite frankly). Trump is paired with Bibi ...who has been intent on wrecking Iran for 40 yrs.
“I think the Iranian people, whether you like it or not, whether I like it or not, completely trust and believe in Donald Trump,” Mahdara said. “They see him as their only hope.”
I believe we all can agree, the Ayatollah’s needed to go; this was a terrorist regime, and responsible for the deaths of hundreds of Americans. That said, Trump is not the answer. He is a rabid bull in a China Shop: He doesn’t have solutions, because he creates and manufactures the crisis!
In addition, he doesn’t think things through; he’s as much reckless as he is impatient, and is clearly suffering from not only dementia, but delusions of grandeur—he’s Don Quixote on CRACK!
Moreover, putting faith in Trump is the equivalent to self-immolation. And if you put your trust in Trump , then I suggest you find a good therapist because I have just three words for you: María Corina Machado! IMHO..:)
Such an exceptional conversation. I am not versed in geopolitical matters. Embarrassingly I know little about Iran. So I will not speak to what I know too little about. I believe Moj Mahdara very articulately pointed out the stakes at hand as she sees them. I saw sadness and frustration in your face during this interview, perhaps due to what I believe, that you know Trump & Netanyahu don’t give a shit about the Iranian people. People who seem not to know what they need to know about Trump. Many say Trump got talked into this war by Netanyahu, perhaps so. I think Trump sees it as a distraction plain and simple, if the news cycle is war it’s not the Epstein files. But that appears to be a miscalculation. What helps undergird my thinking is reporting that the girls school was hit by a Tomahawk or some other missile that Iran does not have, along with reporting that confirmed it came from a U.S. fighter jet. Trump still denies it, says it was Iran.
This interview was very informative and provided a perspective I would have never heard. Thank you for that. Your guest was compelling, knowledgeable, passionate and even keeled in her presentation. It is difficult for me to believe that the Iranian's support the regime change and Trump's war given the press coverage surrounding the naming of the new leader being so positive. Add to that the fact that the Trump Administration has not consistently stated any objective to justify the war, let alone it being about regime change. It was hard to hear the hard criticisms against the Democratic Administration all the way back to Obama. Moj also was unable to answer your good question about how long it is going to take to achieve a regime change or how we need to go about it. She seemed to use Venezuala as a success story of regime change but I don't believe we are anywhere near a resolution on that matter. It would be fascinating if you were able to bring Moj Mahdara back together with someone with a leveled argument on the other side to hear both sides at the same time.
There are many, many Iranians who both oppose the clerical government and are strongly opposed to Trump’s illegal and unconstitutional war. He and Netanyahu are intent on literally destroying Iran. You’d do better to condemn Trump outright and speak to more nuanced Iranians. I’ve been there several times as a reporter.
Thank you.
Iranians “completely trust Donald Trump” as their “only hope” for freedom. Brilliant. The guy who bombed their schools, killed 1,230+ including 181 children, posted meme videos of the carnage, and has the strategic clarity of a broken GPS is definitely their liberator.
“Imagine being bombarded and screaming no ceasefire” …yeah, imagine thinking the person doing the bombing is your savior.
That’s some advanced Stockholm Syndrome geopolitics right there.
Trump’s grand plan? The “Venezuela formula” , where he installed a Maduro loyalist after capturing Maduro and declared victory. So inspiring. Really screams “freedom and democracy.”
This is Iraqi exiles 2003 all over again: Foreign invasion will totally liberate us, definitely won’t create decade of chaos, trust America this time, what could go wrong? Narrator: Everything went wrong.
The oligarchical corridor doesn’t do regime change for your freedom, it does it for extraction and control. But sure, pin your hopes on the guy with fried circuits who can’t remember what he said yesterday about why he started the war.
Iranians deserve better than brutal theocracy. They also deserve better thinking than this delusion.
Great reporting Tara. You put it profound. I see similarities in Venezuela. As this is being a this is for change that the people want. While at the same time. We don’t want War here. So I can see people saying and hoping for a regime change and a completely different governing. But look at the protests I could definitely see them thinking Trump is their only change. But look who they just put as the replacement. I think he’s the same as the other guy they had in power. So I don’t see anything changing.
Thank you Tara.
I could only imagine the desperation and suffering of good Iranian people that hurt and yearn for a life. I don’t believe that a democratic government will be established in Iran. But for sure lots and lots and more and more deaths and suffering will continue to happen. Politicians and billionaires from the US and abroad continued corruption will not stop, trump has placed it in the palm of their hands now more than ever. The politicians’ “secret” and personal agendas continue and the disdain and contempt from politicians and billionaires in power towards the American people will not cease.
Thanks Tara: Congrats on your first year. A great guest, A different perspective of the issue. I feel sorry for those who trust Trump . The claim that Trump wants to get a democracy in Iran while he is trying to destroy Americas democracy does not make sense. The Ghost of Epstein & Netanyahu has got Trump lighting up the middle east with a fire storm that he can not extinguish. The new Iranian leader is more brutal that his father. He has the control of the republican guard and they will slaughter any freedom loving protesters. Putin , Trumps BFF is sending targeting advise to the Iranians. Go figure. As far as Pete Hegseth goes , I feel he thinks he is operating a Christian Nationalist apocalypse of Iran as described in the biblical book of Revelation.
Thank you Al!
To semi-quote the great Augustus McCrae from Lonesome Dove:
'Donald Trump is way too leaky a vessel to put much hope into!'
I feel like this will go the way of the Epstein survivors who believed Trump would help them get justice.
You may be right sadly
Trump is in the process of wrecking THIS country. . . . the Iranians would be crazy to think he'd do anything to improve theirs! He's trying to foist the same kind of repressive religious fascism on us as they have had under their Khamenei regime: except ours is Christian Nationalism rather than radical Islam.
Good god. Every Iranian needs to know exactly ONE thing. trump doesn't give a shit about Americans. You honestly think he gives an ounce of shit about you? He is not in the least bit concerned about who rules over your people. He will literally continue to destroy your Country as long as it deflects any illegal shit focused on him.
ALWAYS REMEMBER; EVERYTHING TRUMP TOUCHES DIES!!!
#ETTD
I’m amazed anyone in any country thinks that USA is going to be their savior. When has it saved anyone? South Korea maybe?
If so,they won't be looking for long...they need to hear Lyndsey Grahams latest gleeful rant about the Trump agenda. It's not about saving ANY Iranians. (or us either quite frankly). Trump is paired with Bibi ...who has been intent on wrecking Iran for 40 yrs.
“I think the Iranian people, whether you like it or not, whether I like it or not, completely trust and believe in Donald Trump,” Mahdara said. “They see him as their only hope.”
I believe we all can agree, the Ayatollah’s needed to go; this was a terrorist regime, and responsible for the deaths of hundreds of Americans. That said, Trump is not the answer. He is a rabid bull in a China Shop: He doesn’t have solutions, because he creates and manufactures the crisis!
In addition, he doesn’t think things through; he’s as much reckless as he is impatient, and is clearly suffering from not only dementia, but delusions of grandeur—he’s Don Quixote on CRACK!
Moreover, putting faith in Trump is the equivalent to self-immolation. And if you put your trust in Trump , then I suggest you find a good therapist because I have just three words for you: María Corina Machado! IMHO..:)
Unfortunately quite accurate!!!
Can they be this dupeda?
It’s hard to breathe free when the air is full of toxic smoke caused by Israeli bombs
Such an exceptional conversation. I am not versed in geopolitical matters. Embarrassingly I know little about Iran. So I will not speak to what I know too little about. I believe Moj Mahdara very articulately pointed out the stakes at hand as she sees them. I saw sadness and frustration in your face during this interview, perhaps due to what I believe, that you know Trump & Netanyahu don’t give a shit about the Iranian people. People who seem not to know what they need to know about Trump. Many say Trump got talked into this war by Netanyahu, perhaps so. I think Trump sees it as a distraction plain and simple, if the news cycle is war it’s not the Epstein files. But that appears to be a miscalculation. What helps undergird my thinking is reporting that the girls school was hit by a Tomahawk or some other missile that Iran does not have, along with reporting that confirmed it came from a U.S. fighter jet. Trump still denies it, says it was Iran.
This interview was very informative and provided a perspective I would have never heard. Thank you for that. Your guest was compelling, knowledgeable, passionate and even keeled in her presentation. It is difficult for me to believe that the Iranian's support the regime change and Trump's war given the press coverage surrounding the naming of the new leader being so positive. Add to that the fact that the Trump Administration has not consistently stated any objective to justify the war, let alone it being about regime change. It was hard to hear the hard criticisms against the Democratic Administration all the way back to Obama. Moj also was unable to answer your good question about how long it is going to take to achieve a regime change or how we need to go about it. She seemed to use Venezuala as a success story of regime change but I don't believe we are anywhere near a resolution on that matter. It would be fascinating if you were able to bring Moj Mahdara back together with someone with a leveled argument on the other side to hear both sides at the same time.