Make Iran Free Again
Once jailed by Iran’s regime, a former political prisoner now sounds an urgent warning to U.S. and Israeli leaders: a ceasefire that leaves the regime standing will only bring more terror, nuclear threats, and bloodshed. This is the historic moment to act, and the world cannot afford to miss it.
Saeed Ghasseminejad/Navid Mohebbi
Jun 29, 2025 - 1:04 PM
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The Islamist Regime in Tehran Must Go
Almost two weeks into the war, the Trump administration is imposing a ceasefire on Israel. The most dangerous outcome is to allow the Islamic Republic to stay in power.
A ceasefire that leaves the regime standing would not bring peace and stability, just more chaos down the road. Israel, the United States, and the Iranian people win if the Islamist regime falls and lose if it survives. Finishing Khamenei and his regime is the right decision to secure the shared interests of the United States, Israel, and the Iranian people.
This is the time to make Iran great again, secure peace and stability in the Middle East, and bring Iran back into the fold of the Washington-led alliance.
What’s at Stake for Israel
Israel may not get another opportunity like this. Khamenei has endured historic blows; with its commanders killed, strategic sites destroyed, and airspace breached, the regime is weaker than ever. For the first time in his rule, Khamenei, fragile and weak, is forced into hiding and cowering in a bunker.
The U.S. may have crippled sites like Natanz and Fordow, but the clock is still ticking. Unless the system behind the program is dismantled, the threat will return. Even now, the regime says it moved its fissile materials to safe locations.
Given the regime’s history of undeclared and secret program, like the hidden Turquzabad site, it should be clear to everyone: this regime cannot be trusted. If the regime survives, it will revive its terrorist proxies, rebuild the nuclear weapon program, and replenish ballistic missiles arsenal.
What’s at Stake for the Iranian People
The regime is threatening to exact revenge on the Iranian people. Since 2017, three waves of nationwide uprisings have been met with live fire, mass arrests, and torture. Thousands of protesters have been killed; tens of thousands have been blinded, imprisoned, or executed. Public hangings and forced confessions remain standard. The crackdown will intensify.
Just last week, hundreds have been detained, some for merely questioning the regime’s war narrative. A state video showed judiciary officials interrogating “war collaborators,” promising severe punishment. It wasn’t law enforcement, it was a message: we may be wounded, but we still hold power. The Islamic Republic has already executed a few dissidents based on trumped-up espionage charged. Regime-affiliated media and personalities are already laying the groundwork for a purge.
The rhetoric is chilling: threats of mass executions and purges echoing the 80s massacres. Khamenei’s advisor, Ali Larijani, even threatened IAEA head Rafael Grossi, saying he would be “dealt with” after the war. The state will unleash its full wrath on ordinary Iranians and opposition voices.
Furthermore, the regime has shown its priorities. Tehran will rebuild its machinery of oppression, terrorism, nuclear weapons, and missile programs. This means worsening economic conditions and more years of poverty, isolation, and despair. Ordinary Iranians have every incentive to see this regime finished because if it survives, their suffering will only deepen.
What’s at Stake for the United States
Helping Iranians reclaim their future directly supports U.S. interests. For decades, the Islamic Republic has targeted U.S. forces and assets across the region. Over 600 American service members were killed in Iraq, many by Iranian-made IEDs. At one point, Tehran placed bounties on U.S. troops in Afghanistan. Ending the regime’s influence could allow something long overdue: reducing the U.S. military footprint in the region.
Before 1979, Iran was a U.S. partner and pillar of regional stability. The new Iran would be a stabilizing force in the region allowing Washington to pivot to other critical regions. But the threat isn’t just regional. The regime has plotted assassinations on U.S. soil, meddled in elections, partnered with criminal networks, and even cyberattacks on critical infrastructures in the United States.The fall of the regime in Tehran, will be a devastating blow to the global Islamist terrorist movement and the biggest victory in the war on terror.
Towards a Thriving, Free Iran
On the other side lies opportunity. A free Iran could be an invaluable partner. Rich in resources, strategically located, and home to a young, educated population eager to consume and innovate, Iran is the last large untapped frontier market. A revitalized US-Iran alliance is not just possible, it’s overdue. Israel, the U.S., and the Iranian people need each other to achieve their goal. The American public rightfully does not want more boots on the ground in the Middle East.
Tangible support for the Iranian people - crippling the regime’s oppression through covert and overt actions, diplomatic and economic pressure, and close coordination with the Iranian opposition led by Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi - will bring down this regime. This is the time to act and send the Islamic Republic to the ash heap of history once and forever.
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Saeed Ghasseminejad
Senior Advisor | Foundation for Defense of Democracies
Navid Mohebbi
NUFDI’s Policy Director | Democracy Advocate | Former Iranian Political Prisoner