The situation in Iran is growing ever more tense, and the people of Iran may well be closer to overthrowing the theocratic rule of the mullahs than they've been since, well, 1979. The streets of Tehran are swarmed with protestors, and several have been spotted informally re-naming streets - for American President Donald Trump.
Since Trump's comments about the Iran protests, I've seen numerous videos of Iranian protesters either thanking him or, in this case, renaming streets after the US president. pic.twitter.com/aWsQV5N8fQ
— Holly Dagres (@hdagres) January 7, 2026
That's a fascinating and unexpected twist. But, if you look at it from the point of view of a young Iranian who wants the mullahs gone, who else are you going to turn to?
A Fox News article from Wednesday has some more details:
Iranian protesters intensified nationwide demonstrations over the past 24 hours, directly appealing to President Donald Trump while chanting anti-regime slogans. Footage published Wednesday showed a protester in Tehran symbolically renaming a street after Trump, while other videos captured handwritten appeals reading, "Don’t let them kill us," Iran International reported.
Holly Dagres, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute, posted the video on X stating, "Since Trump's comments about the Iran protests, I've seen numbers videos of Iranian protesters either thanking him or, in this case, renaming streets after the US president."
The appeals came as demonstrators faced a widening security crackdown, including the deployment of armed units and tear gas near major civilian sites in Tehran.
Who else, indeed. Of course, the United States hasn't done anything concrete yet to help them, nor can we just fly in and yank the mullahs out of their beds, as we just did with Nicaraguan dictator Nicolás Maduro. Iran presents an entirely different tactical situation, including the capital city being behind mountain ranges, hundreds of miles from anywhere from which the U.S. could stage such an attempt.
But that doesn't mean we can't help. President Trump has wielded every economic sanction he can bring to bear on the regime. But some support for the protestors, financial if possible, logistical if necessary, could help; although right now the USA has done most of what it can do. This one's up to the people of Iran.
Read More: Iran's New Year's Resolution: Threaten U.S. Military, Hope for the Best
Watch: Protests in Iran Are Spreading, As More Bravely Stand Up to the Regime
The son of the deposed Shah, the Iranian leader whose overthrow led to this whole mess, sounds more optimistic than ever:
Exiled Iranian opposition leader Reza Pahlavi said the current unrest represents a historic opportunity to end Iran’s Islamic Republic.
"In all these years, I’ve never seen an opportunity as we see today in Iran," Pahlavi said in an interview aired Tuesday on "Hannity."
"Iranian people are more than ever committed to bringing an end to this regime, as the world has witnessed in the last few days, the level of demonstrations is unprecedented in Iran," he said.
It's hard to overstate the profound changes, in the Middle East and globally, that the fall of the mullahs and the rise of some form of modern government in Iran would make. Islamic terrorist groups would find their primary source of funding and logistical support drying up. Russia and China would lose an ally, and they would also lose access to Iranian oil.
This won't be quick, and it won't be easy, but protests are erupting all over the Islamic Republic. Tear gas isn't deterring them, and it seems not even live ammo is deterring them. A strong number of the Iranian people have apparently decided they have nothing left to lose - and there is no creature more dangerous than a man with nothing left to lose.
Stay tuned, because this time it may actually happen.
Editor’s Note: Do you enjoy RedState's conservative reporting that takes on international affairs, including the crazy, Bronze-Age mullahs of Iran? Support our work so that we can continue to bring you the truth.
Join RedState VIP and use promo code FIGHT to receive 60% off your membership.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member