Some Iran International viewers inside the country expressed cautious optimism about Donald Trump’s re-election, hoping his return might increase US pressure on the Islamic Republic, while others remained skeptical.
All stressed that the foundation for any governmental change in Iran rests in the hands of the Iranian people, not external powers.
Their reactions were collected through anonymous direct messages to Iran International via social media platforms.
Many Iranians opposed to the Islamic Republic have expressed hope on social media that Trump will reinstate his tough stance on the Islamic government, intensifying economic and other pressures that could weaken the ruling establishment—and possibly even lead to its overthrow.
Viewers refrained from revealing their identities, citing concerns over the Islamic Republic’s recent announcement criminalizing the sharing of images, text, or audio with foreign media. Under those directives, such actions could result in prison sentences ranging from one to ten years and could be classified as "moharebeh," or “waging war against God,” a charge that could carry the death penalty.
One person said Trump’s victory is "very helpful to the people of Iran, but ultimately, we are the ones who must overthrow the Islamic Republic; no government or country in the world prioritizes our interests over its own."
Another expressed that with Democrats leaving office, the pressure on the Iranian government might increase, potentially creating "an opportunity for the Iranian people to make a move." However, they warned the system may seek compromises to safeguard power, adding: "We could see another deal with Trump, which would not benefit the Iranian people."
While Trump's previous term saw him exit the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and pursue a maximum pressure approach, a softer approach by the Biden administration led to increased oil revenues for the government.
Some Iran International viewers questioned the faith placed in Trump’s policies, noting that American leaders act in the interests of their own citizens. "Trump, Biden, etc., all think about their own people," one viewer remarked, challenging the assumption that Trump’s policies would favor Iran’s population.
Trump’s campaign also stressed his intent to prevent Iran from advancing its nuclear program, a stance that resonated with some viewers who voiced confidence in a US leader with a firm anti-Iranian government stance.
"We are certainly happy with Trump’s election; after all, he has an anti-cleric, anti-terrorism stance," one Iranian said, referencing Trump’s past order targeting Qasem Soleimani, a high-ranking Iranian commander.
The head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, Mohammad Eslami, affirmed that Iran’s nuclear program would continue independently of US politics. “Our program is not affected by any comings and goings in the US,” he said.
As the dollar exchange rate climbed to over 710,000 rials in Iranian markets following Trump’s win, viewers’ opinions remained divided, with some seeing his return as a potential shift toward political upheaval in Iran, while others stressed the need for internally driven change.
The reaction among Iran International’s audience illustrates the complex spectrum of perspectives within the country, where political developments abroad intersect with deep-rooted aspirations for change — a change many believe only Iranians can ultimately achieve.
The mysterious young woman was said to have resorted to the unheard of action, in a strictly controlled Muslim country, after she was harassed by university security for not wearing proper hijab.
International human rights lawyer Gissou Nia said the female university student is another example in a long list of cases where women’s bodies are being policed.
Nia, who led a campaign to have Iran removed from the UN Commission on the Status of Women after the in-custody death of Mahsa Jina Amini in 2022, said the discussions around Iran are finally shifting from geopolitics to human rights.
“As the discussion around the Islamic Republic becomes more focused on what their actions are in Israel, in Lebanon... and becomes more about geopolitics...we haven't seen as much in the global media that what was being sought for during the Woman, Life, Freedom movement is still an ongoing process,” said Nia an interview with Iran International.
A video surfaced online Saturday showing the woman in her underwear sitting on steps, then walking around the campus grounds at the Islamic Azad University in Tehran. The video, which lasted close to 15 minutes, later showed her being forcibly detained by authorities in a car.
Some witnesses said she stripped down after an altercation with Iranian authorities over the compulsory hijab.
According to an Iranian minister she is now undergoing treatment for mental health issues. This is not the first time the Islamic government tries to pin mental illness on dissidents and protesters.
"Investigations revealed that she is experiencing family and psychological challenges and is currently receiving treatment with her family’s support," science minister Hossein Simaei Sarraf said on Wednesday.
“They're famous for insinuating that anyone who dissents with their repressive rules is crazy. The reality is that women in Iran have a long history of resistance against their misogynistic rules,” human rights activist Nazanin Afshin-Jam told Iran International news.
What Afshin-Jam pointed out is common practice in Iran. For example, during the height of the Masha Amini protests, Iranian authorities said protestor, Nika Shahkarami, who became famous for standing on top of an overturned garbage bin, waving her headscarf, committed suicide. A CNN investigation uncovered dozens of videos and eyewitness accounts that she was chased and detained by Iranian security forces that night.
The details surrounding what led up to the university student’s incident are scarce. On social media people are calling her Ahou Daryaei and people inside Iran are writing her name on bathroom mirrors across universities and people around the world have created murals out of her image.
Amnesty International is demanding her release, saying she was “violently arrested” after protesting Iran’s Islamic dress code.
“It is Ahoo Daryaei’s Rosa Parks moment,” said Afshin-Jam about the women who sparked another flame in the embers of Iran’s Women, Life, Freedom movement that haven’t burned out.
“Because the fight goes on,” said Nia.