SouthernWorldwide.com – Amid President Donald Trump’s announcement that a deal with Iran’s clerical regime is imminent to re-open the Strait of Hormuz and negotiate an end to Tehran’s illicit nuclear weapons program, Iranians who hoped U.S. pressure would force a decisive outcome now fear it may survive while ordinary people absorb the costs.
The regime is fiscally strained and politically brittle, while the broader population has been disillusioned by years of repression and economic collapse. Iranians do see this as a one-time opportunity for Washington — and President Trump in particular — to translate military and economic leverage into the potential collapse of an irreformable regime. If the outcome is a shallow agreement that props up the system without changing its trajectory, that window will likely close for years.
If instead, the U.S. holds firm on sanctions and nuclear red lines, it can weaken the regime’s hand without punishing the Iranian people, who have already paid the highest price.
Recent correspondence from two Iranians from Tabriz and Tehran shared insights into their perspectives.
A resident from Tabriz stated, “From my perspective, decades of political tension between Iran and the United States have had their greatest impact on ordinary people rather than those in power. Many families feel their voices are not being heard in international discussions about Iran.” They respectfully asked if the human side of this situation might be shared or highlighted, so that the experiences of ordinary Iranian families are not overlooked in political discussions and media coverage.
A Tehran resident expressed, “Today, the people of Iran believe in the future. On days when economic pressure makes the faces of the Iranian people sad, the word ‘unity’ brings a smile to their lips. Our situation is not good, but we are motivated.”
Hassan, who lives in Tehran, pleaded with President Trump to remain firm in his dealings with the regime. He said, “Things have gotten so bad that even if you wanted to give up and leave Iran and just focus on your own life and work, it feels like there’s nowhere left to turn. Mr. Trump, through these deals and arrangements, has left people feeling trapped, with no road left open.”
Mehdi, residing in Tehran, expressed confusion about the existence of an agreement. He questioned, “So what exactly are they agreeing on? Are they saying they’re close to a deal or are there other discussions too? Every minute there is a new piece of news, everyone has a new analysis, everything changes every minute. It’s strange. This war achieved nothing. We’re the only ones left paying the price.”
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Hassan from Tehran added, “Mr. Trump, if until yesterday most Iranians thought they were on the same path as America, you caused them all to become disappointed. Mr. Trump, if you wanted this government to remain in power, why did you blow up factories? Now workers are being laid off, and inflation is out of control. Even with a salary of 18 million tomans, you cannot feed yourself.”
Concerns among many Iranians revolve around the proposed memorandum of understanding between the U.S. and Iran’s regime. Media reports suggest the MOU does not address the overthrow of the clerical regime or human rights violations. Large numbers of Iranians, both within Iran and among the diaspora, want the Trump administration to topple the Islamist dictatorship in Tehran.
The MOU reportedly involves a 60-day ceasefire extension. Israel and the U.S. launched a joint attack on Iran on February 28. The MOU would also see the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and new talks over Iran’s illicit nuclear weapons program.
The leaked elements of the MOU have not been confirmed by the Trump administration.
However, Trump stated last week during his cabinet meeting, “We didn’t set out for regime change. But by the fact that we’re dealing with a totally different group of people than we were at the beginning… This is regime change.”
Reza Farnood, an Iranian American who supports the Trump administration and is a researcher, writer, and activist, urged President Trump to continue his maximum pressure campaign against Tehran.
Farnood stressed that the clerical regime is holding the Iranian people “hostage.”
Kianoosh, who lives in Karaj, the capital of Alborz province, commented on Trump’s proposed deal: “You threw six months of our lives into hell. What answer are you going to give to the mothers of all those children who were killed? Why did you give people false hope? Why did you hand down a death sentence to everything so many people believed in?”
Graham juxtaposed Trump’s Iran policy with his predecessors. “Obama and Biden screwed Iran up, and Donald Trump is fixing it. On Obama and Biden’s watch, Iran became rich and lethal. On Trump’s watch, they’re becoming poorer and weaker. That’s the difference.”
Trump has said that Iran’s regime murdered as many as 45,000 Iranian demonstrators in January 2026. He urged protesters days after the mass murder to keep going and promised them that “help is on its way.”
Many people feel they are left facing the same regime, one that appears more emboldened, more ideological, and still willing to repress, execute, and arrest people. The economy has been devastated, and many feel trapped between a government with no mercy and a future with no clear path forward.
For years, 90 million Iranians have lived as hostages of the Islamic Republic. Now, many fear that the consequences no longer stop at Iran’s borders, through threats to global energy routes, regional stability, and even digital infrastructure.
According to Bazargan, “The question many ordinary Iranians are asking is simple: How are people expected to fight a system that feels victorious, controls the weapons, controls the narrative through a massive propaganda machine, and possesses countless tools of repression?”
Ali, from Tehran, complained about spiraling prices and inflation, and the disappointment that the regime is still in place.
He questioned, “For a government with state-provided housing and billions in patronage and privileges, what difference did any of this make for its supporters?”
Ali added, “We’re the ones who are paying the price and getting crushed. How are our children ever supposed to afford these housing and car prices, and how are they supposed to get married?”
