The conflict didn't begin with a single event, but with a brazen act of defiance nearly half a century ago: the invasion of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran on November 4, 1979, and the subsequent 444-day hostage crisis. This wasn’t an isolated incident, but the opening salvo in a decades-long war waged by the Islamic Republic against the United States.
For years, the regime operated as the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism, responsible for the deaths of more Americans than any other terrorist organization. Plots to assassinate American leaders, including two attempts against a former President, underscored the relentless nature of this hostility. Restraint from Washington was consistently misinterpreted as weakness, emboldening further aggression.
The attacks weren’t random. From the devastating 1983 Beirut barracks bombing to the Iranian-supplied IEDs that claimed the lives of 603 American service members in Iraq – a staggering one in six combat fatalities – a clear pattern of aggression emerged. The regime’s ultimate goal, repeatedly declared, was simple: death to America.
Previous administrations attempted to address the threat through diplomacy, often described as “kicking the can down the road.” This approach shifted in 2020 with a decisive action: the targeted strike against Qassim Soleimani, the regime’s chief terrorist operative. While criticized by some, the Iranian people overwhelmingly celebrated the move.
The regime’s brutality extended beyond international aggression. In January 2026, over 40,000 protesters were massacred, and the atrocity was concealed through a nationwide internet shutdown. Again, the Iranian people turned to a familiar figure for support, and received a response that defied precedent.
Evidence revealed a calculated pursuit of nuclear weapons. Iranian counterparts openly admitted possessing enough enriched uranium for eleven nuclear bombs, achievable within weeks. Offers to provide Iran with nuclear fuel in exchange for halting enrichment were flatly rejected, revealing a clear intention to weaponize their stockpile.
Decades of deception fueled this nuclear ambition. Secretly restoring the Arak reactor, concealing a nuclear weapons archive, and stonewalling international investigators became hallmarks of the regime’s strategy. The deeply flawed Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) didn’t constrain Iran; it legitimized and funded their pursuit of nuclear capabilities.
A former President correctly labeled the JCPOA “the worst deal ever negotiated” and withdrew from the agreement in 2018, implementing a maximum pressure campaign that denied the regime over $200 billion in oil revenue – funds that had previously fueled terrorist operations. This strategy was abruptly abandoned, allowing Iran to accelerate its enrichment program.
The turning point came with Operation Midnight Hammer, a series of strikes against Iran’s nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. When Iranian negotiators brazenly declared they wouldn’t concede what couldn’t be taken militarily, Operation Epic Fury was launched. The objectives were clear: dismantle Iran’s offensive capabilities and cripple its security apparatus.
The results have exceeded expectations. In a coordinated operation with Israel, the regime’s leader, Ali Khamenei, along with much of his inner circle and senior military command, were eliminated. Over 80% of Iran’s ballistic missile stockpile and production capacity has been destroyed, and its naval fleet decimated.
The financial pipelines supporting terrorist proxies like Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Hamas have been severed. Nuclear-related sites have been obliterated, and at least 49 senior regime officials have been neutralized. This unprecedented degradation of the regime’s forces is creating an environment ripe for change within Iran.
A former President directly addressed the Iranian people, declaring, “The hour of your freedom is at hand…When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take.” This moment of liberation is now within reach. A firm commitment to this course is essential, rejecting the failed policies of the past.
As one leader of the Iranian democratic opposition stated, a former President will be remembered as a champion of the Iranian people, standing alongside history’s greatest liberators. His resolve, unwavering and resolute, promises a future free from the decades-long shadow of the Islamic Republic.
