Can the US Help Iran? Perspectives from Within and Beyond
Iranian protesters gather near burning cars on a street in Tehran, Iran on 8 January.
For Mojdeh and her husband, the question of US intervention in Iran is deeply personal. In early January, they traveled from their home in Washington, DC, to Tehran for what they expected to be a brief, routine visit to family. Instead, they found themselves stranded in a city gripped by chaos as protests erupted, flights were canceled, and the familiar became unpredictable.
“Life was on pause,” Mojdeh recalled, especially during the nights when internet and phone networks went dark. Initially, they had no plans to protest. But as the nights of January 7 and 8 unfolded, Mojdeh felt it was impossible to remain uninvolved. “If you left your house, you saw it,” she explained. The BBC has changed her name to protect her family’s identity.
One evening, after dining in a restaurant, they stepped outside to find the city transformed: crowds filled the streets, and security forces appeared overwhelmed. “It felt like people had occupied Tehran,” she said.
The protests, ignited by anger over economic hardship and a plummeting currency, quickly escalated to calls for an end to the Islamic Republic. Tragically, security forces responded with lethal force. The actual death toll remains hard to verify due to internet blackouts and the lack of independent reporting. The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) confirmed over 6,000 deaths, while Norway’s Iran Human Rights reported that the toll might exceed 25,000. In contrast, Iranian authorities acknowledged at least 3,117 fatalities but claimed that most were security personnel or bystanders, attributing the violence to “rioters.”
US President Donald Trump has voiced unwavering support for Iranian protesters. Recently, US and Iranian officials held discussions, but optimism was muted. Onboard Air Force One, Trump described the talks as “very good,” suggesting that Iran “looks like it wants to make a deal very badly.”
Mojdeh’s voice trembled as she recounted the protest’s chaos: people running, shouting, and being beaten—a haunting memory long after they returned to the US. Her husband was struck by a different realization: among their friends and family in Iran, the notion of US military intervention was not seen as an attack but rather as help. Living safely in the US, they understand the desperation fueling these sentiments but remain skeptical that such actions could fulfill the protesters’ ultimate aspirations—not just regime change but this necessary quest for dignity, economic security, and freedom. They fear the profound risks of confusing destruction with salvation.
Perspectives on US Intervention
Weeks after the deadly crackdowns and amidst a near-total internet blackout, Iranians at home and abroad continue to grapple with whether the US should play a role in addressing their plight. Shirin, an Iranian-American residing in California, still hopes for foreign intervention. “If the international community genuinely wishes to halt the violence and prevent further global instability, action is necessary,” said Shirin, 52, who wished to remain anonymous for her family’s safety. “When the head of the snake isn’t cut off, the venom spreads—beyond borders, regions, and generations.”
However, others express concern that intervention could endanger their loved ones still under the regime’s grip. Roozbeh Farahanipour, a former political prisoner in Iran and now a restaurant owner in Los Angeles, voices his worries. “I don’t know how many have perished, who is injured, or who is unaccounted for. I find it impossible to reach out to parents, siblings, and spouses to express condolences and solidarity,” he lamented. Farahanipour believes that while there should be global support, he recalls the historical repercussions of US intervention. Ultimately, he argues that regime change must emanate from within Iran.
“Today, the greatest power lies in unity, discipline, and public mobilization—creating overwhelming crowds and urging remaining regime members to defect and join the people’s movement. That internal collapse is far more decisive than any outside force,” asserted Farahanipour.
Diverging Views on Intervention
Ali, 43, emigrated from Iran to the US 21 years ago. Throughout his adult life, he supported reform within Iran, often voting for moderate US presidential candidates. By 2014, he lost faith. “We’ve seen this before—protests, promises, crackdowns,” he stated, alluding to previous uprisings including those in 2009. Each time, he reasoned, lives were lost, but little changed. He believes the regime cannot be reformed and that without external pressure, it cannot be defeated. While he does not advocate for an outright invasion, he supports targeted strikes on state infrastructure and leadership.
Ali notes that many people he knows in Iran now seek some form of US intervention—not because they trust American intentions but because they see no other option available. Iranian activist and photographer Hemad Nazari, who fled to Denmark in 2015, shares this sentiment. He emphasizes the urgency of foreign intervention, stating, “How will we negotiate with this regime? The best time to intervene was a month ago. The second-best time is now.”
Having built a network to disseminate firsthand accounts from Iran during protests and blackouts, Nazari has become a crucial conduit for information. Over the past weeks, he has received more than 500 direct messages from individuals in Iran, with many expressing the belief that intervention is their only hope. “They say, ‘we went to the streets. We got killed. There is no other way,’” he shared.
The Ongoing Crisis and Call for Help
Even as protests have diminished, repression continues in various forms. Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO) estimates that at least 40,000 people have been arrested since the protests began and expresses grave concerns over the conditions of the detained or missing. Reports indicate that security forces are raiding medical facilities, detaining staff who provided aid to wounded protesters, although Iranian authorities claim no medical professionals have been arrested.
The internet blackout has lessened but remains inconsistent and unreliable. For Iranians both inside and outside the country, the dialogue about US involvement is no longer merely theoretical; it is infused with grief, fear, and exhaustion, compounded with a growing sense that time is running out.
“It’s painful—both as an Iranian and as a human being,” Shirin reflected. “And it’s not just about our family; it’s the welfare of 90 million people we are worried about.”