The military action taken by President Donald Trump against Iran on Saturday is more than just an operation; it’s a response to years of suffering endured by the Iranian people under oppressive rule.
For the first time, it feels like an American president is genuinely attempting to aid the Iranian people.
I grew up in Iran, under the grasp of a harsh theocratic regime.
My childhood in the 1980s was filled with anti-Western rhetoric and chants of “Death to America.”
Yet, for many of us, America stood as a beacon of justice and the possibility of freedom.
In those same classrooms, we secretly listened to music from Bon Jovi and Guns N’ Roses, offering us a glimpse of the joy and liberty we could only dream of.
After fleeing the regime’s persecution of various religious minorities, America gave my family a sense of freedom we had never experienced.
I remember when I told my parents about my desire to join the United States Air Force; they didn’t hesitate. Serving a country that became our refuge felt like the highest tribute we could pay.
This belief later guided me to work at the U.S. Treasury Department for nine years, where I was involved in crafting sanctions aimed at holding the Iranian regime accountable for its terrorist activities and human rights abuses.
However, after the 2015 nuclear agreement, I found myself in the position of lifting those same sanctions, hoping to foster some legitimacy for the regime.
But how do you forge lasting peace with a regime that exploits its own children to support dictators like Bashar al-Assad?
A regime that has never represented or protected its people?
Every president since Jimmy Carter has engaged with Iran, effectively buying into its narrative.
Trump, notably, is the first to stray from that pattern.
When President Obama chose to back down in Syria in 2013 after Assad’s chemical weapons attack, it sent a message: American threats can be negotiated.
When Obama signed the nuclear deal—officially the JCPOA—offering sanctions relief and billions in assets, it was clear the administration was making promises it wouldn’t keep.
When recent events unfolded, the Trump administration recognized that era was coming to a close.
Trump sees the Iranian regime for what it truly is: a destabilizing force involved in planning attacks, including against Trump himself.
It’s not an easy position to take, and it requires both bravery and foresight.
Finally, we have an American president prioritizing the plight of the Iranian people instead of merely discussions surrounding nuclear issues.
I received messages from friends and family when the attack began early Saturday. Some were still in Iran.
There was a mix of celebration and cautious optimism, particularly with news of the supreme leader’s alleged death.
Yet, everyone shared a common concern: they were worried this strike might end too soon.
They fear the regime could be sufficiently injured to negotiate but remain intact, capable of continuing its oppression and violent tactics against those aspiring for a brighter future.
The Iranian people don’t just want to see the government weakened.
What they desire is a genuinely free Iran, one that prioritizes its citizens’ needs over a radical ideology that has inflicted suffering throughout the region.
If these airstrikes are aimed at achieving this vision, they may be remembered as pivotal moments in history.
However, if the goal is merely to gain concessions, the Iranian public will suffer should the regime recover.
It’s going to take not just courage to instigate this change, but also the vision to ensure its success.
