Ever since the Khomenei/Khamenei Regime in Iran took power in 1979, they have been on a mission to spread their radical version of Islam globally, to serve the purposes of their anti-Western agenda.
Concurrently, they have aggressively changed the lifestyle of the Iranian people, doing so with the despotic tools of censoring their voices and access to outside media.
As part of its terrorist mission, the Iranian regime has specifically targeted Americans, whom it considers: "The Great Satan."
Tehran's brutal Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its extra-territorial unit, the Quds Force (IRGC-QF), is responsible for the deaths of 603 soldiers in Iraq (c. 2003-2011), 241 service members in the Marine barracks suicide attack in Beirut, Lebanon on Oct. 23, 1983, 19 troops in the Khobar Towers bombing in Saudi Arabia, on June 25, 1996 — and many others.
They have targeted Americans, Israelis and other innocent men, women and children by supporting their terrorist and militant proxies such as Hamas and Palestinian Jihad in Israel, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and the Houthis in Yemen.
The Regime spends billions of dollars every year financing these terrorist groups with cold hard cash, missiles, weapons and training.
In addition to the funding of terrorism globally, which by the way, the Iranian people have been protesting for years — the Regime will do whatever is needed to deny the Iranian people the benefits of basic political and social freedoms, equality, and tolerance.
While many in the Regime and the 1% of Iran enjoy luxuries like unfettered access to the internet, access to social media, business and educational opportunities, luxury goods and much more — the vast majority of the Iranian people are suffer daily because of the corruption and misrule of the Islamic Republic, and have been for decades.
This Regime has proven time and time again that they will do whatever is necessary to maintain their grip on power. Some examples of this are:
- Ali Khamenei's "Morality Police" murdered Mahsa Amini and several other brave Iranian women in 2022 for either not wearing the compulsory hijab or protesting it's existence;
- Arresting and executing high profile citizens like Navid Afkari on trumped up charges that wouldn't last for 10 minutes in a U.S. Court;
- Allowing honor killings that permits close relatives to execute their own family members for being gay or lesbian, or for extramarital relationships;
- Turning off the internet inside Iran when the Iranian people take to the streets to protest, to ensure that the outside world can’t see what’s happening;
And when turning off the internet doesn't work, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei gives orders to use lethal force.
One such example was in November of 2019.
The Iranian people started taking to the streets to protest against the Islamic Republic.
First, the Regime turned off the internet so the people couldn't broadcast their message to the world. When that didn't work, Khamenani issued a directive to the IRGC to use lethal force on his citizens.
When the dust settled, Reuters reported that over 1,500 innocent Iranians were murdered on streets all throughout Iran.
Fast forward to 2023, the Iranian people once again took to the streets to protest their government after the senseless murder of Mahsa Amini.
Sadly, the Biden administration didn't speak out to support the Iranian people until many months after the murder of Amini.
Which brings me to the topic of this piece.
We, the American people and our representatives in the Federal Government must always draw a line in the sand separating the liberty-seeking Iranian people from the terrorist Regime in Tehran.
In a 2021 op-ed in The Wall Street Journal, I discussed how the Iranian people and Iranian diaspora around the world support the Abraham Accords and they want peace with Israel and their Arab neighbors.
The Iranian Regime has coordinated a smear campaign against the Abraham Accords with all Regime officials and their allies in America pouring cold water on the historic agreements at every opportunity.
Iranians love America, our values and our culture.
Additionally, they openly support Israel and they want peace in the region.
Meanwhile, the Iranian Regime chants "Death to America," burning American flags and sanctioning terrorist attacks against American forces — and our allies — for decades.
Taking all this into consideration, it's more than well-worth it to ask how, exactly, the American people benefit from our government's decision to engage in diplomacy with a regime. A tyrannical power structure which desires the demise of our nation and Israel, our strongest Mideast ally.
The Regime's tyranny plays out regularly, while leading the world in funding terrorist groups; doing so to the tune of over $1 billion a year; has the blood of American soldiers on its hands; and murders, censors and oppresses its own people for speaking out against it.
It's time for the Islamic Republic of Iran to go. Now.
Bryan E. Leib is the Executive Director of Iranian Americans for Liberty. Formerly, he served as the National Director for Americans Against Antisemitism and in 2018, he was a GOP Endorsed Congressional Candidate (PA-03). He tweets at @Bryan_E_Leib. Read Bryan E. Leib's Reports — More Here.
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