Image: Wikimedia Commons (Photo by Morteza Salehi, Tasnim, 2026)
Amid ongoing protests against the oppressive Iranian regime, reports indicate that at least 2,000 people have lost their lives. Will the U.S. respond, as President Donald Trump mulls a “very strong” response and is briefed on military strike options in Iran?
The protests stem from extreme economic difficulties, such as hyperinflation, a collapsing currency, and soaring prices for basic necessities. However, they have expanded into widespread protests against the government, calling for regime change. Fundamentally, the people of Iran desire liberation from corruption, poor governance, and political oppression. They desire freedom.
The Gateway Pundit spoke to Dr. Chase Spears, a retired U.S. Army public affairs officer, writer and host of the Finding Your Spine podcast. He remarked on the incredible sight of the Iranian people rising up against a “well-armed, tyrannical government” that has repeatedly shown its contempt for innocent lives. “They’re offering a reminder that even in the darkest times and places, there is always a glimmer of hope and a remnant of courageous people.”
For decades, he said, the extremist Islamist regime has been the primary catalyst for “churning out evil and brutality” throughout the Middle East. He contends that “overthrowing it would be the single biggest contribution to peace in our age.”
“An Iran freed of the ayatollah’s fist would shut down the terror machine that has plagued the world from Tehran for the entirety of my lifetime,” he argued. “A free Iran makes the entire world safer.”
Currently, President Donald Trump has implemented a 25 percent tariff on products from any country engaging in trade with Iran. He has also urged American citizens to exit Iran immediately as protests escalate and the death toll increases.
Additionally, sources say he is strongly considering military options while the Israel Defense Forces are on heightened “alert for surprises.”
In response, Iran’s parliamentary speaker cautioned on Saturday that the nation may launch preemptive strikes on Israel and U.S. military bases should it perceive indications of an imminent attack.
But how legitimate is this threat from their parliamentary speaker? “Iran has proven incapable of meaningful retaliatory strikes against the U.S.,” Dr. Spears pointed out.
Typically, he is “very cautious” regarding the deployment of U.S. military force in the matters of other countries, having witnessed the consequences of that approach in Iraq and Afghanistan. “But things are different in this case,” he observed. “The rightful monarch is ready to return and reestablish a government that would be recognized as legitimate by the Iranian people.”
He expressed his satisfaction upon learning that President Trump is exploring measures to drive the Iranian regime to a breaking point leading to its downfall. “This could be the once in a lifetime opportunity for the U.S. to use military options for purposes that history honors,” he argued.
Should President Trump call upon the U.S. military, “a basic principle of warfare is to give the enemy multiple dilemmas to solve at once,” said Dr. Spears. “If ever there was an ideal time for the U.S. military to add to the list of dilemmas that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps must solve,” he said, “it’s now.
“As Americans we like to say that we stand with people seeking freedom,” Dr. Spears noted. “We now have a small window in which to demonstrate it in a way that will break up hostile alliances and make the entire world safer.” He prays for the successful removal of the extremist Islamist regime that has troubled the world for far too long.
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