Time Is Now for Major US Policy Shift on Iran

Since the early 2000s, we have witnessed several presidential administrations strike deals with the Iranian Regime (IR) that were designed to support the Islamic Republic of Iran's economy and, ultimately, the Iranian people. While these deals might have had good intentions — the track record of lies, corruption, deception, and human rights abuses by the IR should be a disqualifier for any future deals.

The IR is led by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who rules over the liberty seeking Iranian people with an iron fist that censors the Iranian people from using social media while arresting, imprisoning and murdering the country's own citizens who speak out against the IR.

While U.S. foreign policy typically changes with new presidential administrations, the ruling class in the Islamic Republic of Iran has not changed since 1979.

The Islamic Republic of Iran doesn't hold free and transparent elections like we do in America. Its elections are more political theater of sorts than an actual election. Candidates for president in the Islamic Republic of Iran must be approved by the Khamenei-controlled Guardian Council. Hundreds apply to run for president but only a small, select, hand-picked few make it onto the ballot.

In the last election in 2021, only 48% of the country's 59 million registered voters turned out to vote in the elections. Of the 59 million registered voters, only 17.9 million Iranians voted for the current president Ebrahim Raisi.

It's clear to me that the Iranian people are fed up with the mullahs and Ayatollah Khamenei. They are voicing their displeasure for their government by not engaging in the electoral process to show the world that they, the people, don't approve of their oppressive government. In addition, the Iranian people have taken to the streets throughout Iran over the last couple of years in peaceful protests. Sadly, many of these peaceful protests have turned deadly.

One can look at the November 2019 Massacre as a prime example of how far the IR will go to ensure it maintains its grip on power.

So while elections are held in Iran, it's still Ayatollah Khamenei who calls all of the shots while he uses the IRGC (Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps) to maintain his grip on power inside Iran and around the Middle East.

The IRGC is a U.S. State Department designated FTO (Foreign Terrorist Organization). The IRGC is the world's foremost fiscal sponsor of terrorist groups and it has also directly carried out terrorist activities against America and our allies. Other groups on the FTO list are IRGC-backed Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen.

There are rumors the current administration is considering lifting the FTO designation placed on the IRGC.

That would be a catastrophic mistake that would only strengthen Khamenei's grip on the Iranian people and allow for more money to flow directly to the IRGC's terrorist proxies.

With all of this said, I believe that it's time for all elected officials, Democrats and Republicans to join together to voice their support for the Iranian people and to take concrete actions that align solely with the liberty seeking Iranian people because:

• The IR's rhetoric of "Death to America – Death to Israel" hasn't changed. It's only increased.
• The IR's acts of crimes against humanity against its own people have not changed. It's only increased.
• The IR's funding of terrorist proxies such as Hamas, Hezbollah, Houthis, Palestinian Jihad and scores more of rogue terrorist groups has not changed. It's only increased.
• The IR's treatment of women, LGBT, and religious minorities has not evolved. It's gotten far worse.

It's clear to me, many Americans, and many Iranians inside Iran that the IR has never done anything to actually earn the support of the U.S. government or the confidence of its own people. It's time to completely rethink and then change our strategy and approach in dealing with the mullahs in Tehran.

It's time for all Americans, citizens and elected officials to say YES to the Iranian people and NO to the Iranian Regime. We look forward to the day when the Iranian people are free from the IR.

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.