The streets of Iran have become killing fields. As the Islamic Republic’s despotic regime faces its most significant challenge since the 1979 revolution, reports indicate security forces have slaughtered nearly 2,000 civilians. Many weren’t even participating in protests. The government’s response to its people’s cries for freedom has been predictably savage: cutting internet access, deploying death squads, and—in a move that would be laughable if it weren’t so insulting—offering a pathetic six-dollar monthly bribe to quell the uprising. Six dollars. That’s what the mullahs think a human life is worth.

Economic devastation lit the fuse. Rocketing inflation, soaring food prices, and a collapsing currency have shoved everyday Iranians over the edge. These are the largest demonstrations the country has seen in decades, possibly since the Islamic Revolution itself. The question facing America is no longer whether this regime deserves to fall. It’s whether we’ll help the Iranian people push it over.

From the Daily Wire:

“Those strikes make sense, absolutely. I do support those things. … I’m saying I’m open to that. And I am actually inspired by the real kinds of courage that those protesters in Iran are demonstrating now. So I don’t know why we can’t all want to support that to back them and now bring that awful regime to its knees. Now, that’s where it’s at right now. They’re so desperate. They killed the internet, and now they’re mowing down their own citizens.”

Those words didn’t come from a Republican hawk. They came from Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman. Yes, the Democrat. He’s broken ranks with his party yet again to stand on the side of common sense and moral clarity.

A Democrat Who Gets It?

Fetterman’s willingness to support President Trump’s potential military intervention in Iran has turned heads across Washington. The senator made no apologies during his CNN appearance Monday. He called the Iranian regime “poisonous” and questioned why anyone would oppose supporting brave protesters risking everything in the streets.

Here’s the thing: this isn’t an isolated incident. Fetterman has repeatedly distanced himself from Democrat Party orthodoxy. He’s done it on Israel. He did it during the Venezuela operation. While many of his colleagues wrung their hands over Operation Absolute Resolve, Fetterman consistently sided with decisive American action against tyrannical regimes.

His stance aligns with prominent conservative voices who’ve been making the case for action. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich declared bluntly on social media that “there is no middle ground” and urged Western leaders to “destroy the Iranian dictatorship at this moment of its vulnerability.” Senator Lindsey Graham struck a similar chord, calling this “the best chance since 1979 to change the course of the Middle East.”

A Once-in-a-Generation Opportunity

The stakes here are staggering. According to the Human Rights Activists News Agency, over 544 people have been confirmed killed and more than 10,681 arrested since protests erupted on December 28th. Iran International estimates the true death toll approaches 2,000. Eyewitnesses describe security forces targeting civilians indiscriminately—people who weren’t even demonstrating.

President Trump has made America’s position unmistakable. On January 2nd, he warned the regime directly: “If Iran shoots and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue. We are locked and loaded and ready to go.”

Graham captured the contrast with previous administrations perfectly: the goal is proving “we’re not Obama.” After years of appeasement, pallets of cash, and willful blindness while the mullahs funded terrorism across the globe, America finally has leadership willing to stand with the oppressed. What a refreshing change from coddling their oppressors.

The Iranian people are fighting for their lives against a regime that has terrorized the Middle East for over four decades. They deserve American support. And they’re getting vocal backing from the most unexpected corner of the Senate chamber.

Whether Fetterman’s political future lies with the Democrats remains to be seen. But on this issue, he’s chosen correctly. His party would be wise to follow his lead—though I wouldn’t bet on it.

Key Takeaways

• Sen. John Fetterman broke with Democrats to support U.S. military intervention in Iran against the brutal regime.
• The Iranian government has killed nearly 2,000 civilians in its crackdown on the largest protests since 1979.
• President Trump has warned Iran that America is “locked and loaded” to defend peaceful protesters.
• Fetterman’s repeated breaks with his party raise serious questions about his political future as a Democrat.

Sources: Daily Wire, New York Post