A small canal and approximately 250 meters is all that separate an Iraqi border fort from a similar Iranian one at the Shalamcha Port of Entry in Basra province, Iraq, April 1. (Maurice Galloway/U.S. Army)
The new U.S. administration is once again imposing a policy of maximum pressure on Iran. This comes at a time when the corrupt and incompetent regime in Tehran is facing the greatest challenges in its history. Iran is in crisis — economically, politically and socially — creating a unique opportunity for democratic change.
Every day, government offices and schools in half of the country’s provinces shut down due to power shortages. Electricity shortages have halted or disrupted 50% of national production. Homes suffer from long power and heating outages. Experts warn that the situation is worsening by the day. Meanwhile, inflation is rampant, the national currency is in free fall and Iran’s own parliamentary statistics indicate that over half the population has fallen below the poverty line. The middle class is being crushed under these pressures.
At the root of these problems is widespread corruption. The state treasury is empty, and the government is incapable of providing even the most basic services. Yet, while ordinary Iranians struggle, mafias connected to the Supreme Leader’s office and the Revolutionary Guards continue to reap astronomical profits. For the majority of the population, hardship has become unbearable.
But Iran’s problems go far beyond economic suffering. Systematic discrimination and violence against women and ethnic and religious minorities, extreme censorship, arbitrary arrests, brutal torture, forced confessions, extrajudicial killings and executions are all part of daily life. Iran is not just in economic collapse — it is in moral and political free fall.
It was the accumulation of these grievances that led to the largest and most widespread protest movement in the history of the Islamic Republic in September 2022. The “Women, Life, Freedom” movement, which began in Kurdistan, quickly spread across the country. The regime, unwilling to address the people’s demands, responded with brute force. More than 500 people were killed, thousands were blinded or maimed, and executions continue to this day. Despite the brutal repression, the movement exposed the regime’s vulnerability.
Yet even this does not fully capture the current state of Iran. The Islamic Republic has never been weaker. Its legitimacy has long eroded from within, but now its authority is crumbling on the world stage. Its foreign policy failures, the defeats of its regional proxies, and the fall of Syria’s dictator — one of its closest allies — have further isolated it. President Donald Trump’s election and the hope for an end to decades of U.S. appeasement toward the Iranian regime have added to its weakening.
Indeed, the Trump administration ushered in a renewed focus to confront the Iranian threat to America, the Middle East and the international community in the form of a presidential initiative called “National Security Presidential Memorandum/NSPM-2:” https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/02/national-security-presidential-memorandum-nspm-2/.
As someone who has been closely connected with activists and opposition networks inside and outside Iran, I can say with confidence: The situation in the country is unsustainable. Do not be surprised if, one morning, you wake up to find a new wave of massive protests sweeping the nation. Iran is a powder keg. A single spark could trigger a political explosion.
Does this crisis in Iran concern the United States? Absolutely. But that does not mean military intervention. We do not ask the American people to fight our revolution for us, nor do we ask the U.S. military to step foot on Iranian soil. We fight for our own freedom, dignity and human rights.
What we do ask is that the future of Iran be supported in ways that align with American interests and values. We want a country that seeks cooperation with its neighbors for the sake of peace and security rather than destabilizing the region. A country that prioritizes its people over costly nuclear ambitions, avoiding the waste of hundreds of billions in pursuit of regional dominance, while neglecting its own well-being. We want a future Iran that respects human rights, upholds freedom of speech and religion, and enshrines the rights of Kurds and other ethnic minorities in its constitution. We seek a nation that, instead of promoting anti-Americanism, builds a constructive relationship with the United States and the free world.
Achieving such an Iran is not just a dream — it is entirely possible. The United States has a unique opportunity to stand on the right side of history. Supporting the democratic aspirations of the Iranian people aligns with both American strategic interests and values. It is time for the U.S. government, Congress, the media and civil society to take a stand. A free, peaceful and democratic Iran is within reach. But it will require global support to get there. That is, a “perfect storm” of international pressure and an internal cry for change.
Abdullah Mohtadi is the secretary general of the Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan and a longtime leader of the Kurdish resistance movement in Iran
