A Promise Unkept: Iranians Left Feeling Betrayed as Trump's Help Fails to Arrive
As Siavash Shirzad took to the streets of Tehran on January 6th, he was convinced that Donald Trump would come through on his promise to rescue protesters. For the 38-year-old father of a 12-year-old son, the prospect of US intervention was a lifeline in a desperate bid for freedom from Iran's authoritarian regime. However, when authorities began shooting at protesters, Shirzad knew that he had been left high and dry.
Trump's assurances to protesters were met with skepticism by many Iranians who have seen promises like these before. Siavash's cousin, speaking anonymously for fear of repercussions, recalled the father's decision to join the protests: "He gave a firm answer: 'Trump said he supports us, I'm going.'" But as news of the growing crackdown began to filter out, many realized that Trump had been playing them all along.
In an astonishing about-face, Trump abruptly declared on Tuesday that he had received assurances from Iranian authorities that no one would be executed. This decision was met with disdain by Iranians who felt betrayed and disillusioned. The Iranian regime has long exploited such promises of foreign intervention to crush dissent and maintain its grip on power.
The reality is stark: despite Trump's claims, the Iranian authorities continued their brutal crackdown on protesters, with many facing arrest, torture, or even death. As a result, thousands remain in detention facilities, subjected to ill-treatment and abuse.
Iranians living abroad feel particularly betrayed by Trump's decision. They had been holding out hope that the US would intervene on their behalf, but now see it as nothing more than empty words. Azam Jangravi, an Iranian based in Canada, said: "If he fails to act against this brutal regime, that trust will be broken and the people of Iran will not forget who stood with them, and who turned away."
As tensions remain high, there are growing fears that Trump may yet fulfill his promise of military intervention. However, many analysts believe that a US strike on Iran could have disastrous consequences for both countries involved.
In Tehran, protesters are left in limbo, unsure whether to take to the streets again or wait and see what Trump will do next. For now, they remain cut off from the rest of the world and under the heavy boot of authorities. As Alborz, a Tehran resident, put it: "The protests have come to a pause, people are waiting to see what Trump will do."
For those who trust no one anymore, the reality is bleak. A promise unkept has left Iranians feeling betrayed and disillusioned with the West's inability to act on their behalf.
As Siavash Shirzad took to the streets of Tehran on January 6th, he was convinced that Donald Trump would come through on his promise to rescue protesters. For the 38-year-old father of a 12-year-old son, the prospect of US intervention was a lifeline in a desperate bid for freedom from Iran's authoritarian regime. However, when authorities began shooting at protesters, Shirzad knew that he had been left high and dry.
Trump's assurances to protesters were met with skepticism by many Iranians who have seen promises like these before. Siavash's cousin, speaking anonymously for fear of repercussions, recalled the father's decision to join the protests: "He gave a firm answer: 'Trump said he supports us, I'm going.'" But as news of the growing crackdown began to filter out, many realized that Trump had been playing them all along.
In an astonishing about-face, Trump abruptly declared on Tuesday that he had received assurances from Iranian authorities that no one would be executed. This decision was met with disdain by Iranians who felt betrayed and disillusioned. The Iranian regime has long exploited such promises of foreign intervention to crush dissent and maintain its grip on power.
The reality is stark: despite Trump's claims, the Iranian authorities continued their brutal crackdown on protesters, with many facing arrest, torture, or even death. As a result, thousands remain in detention facilities, subjected to ill-treatment and abuse.
Iranians living abroad feel particularly betrayed by Trump's decision. They had been holding out hope that the US would intervene on their behalf, but now see it as nothing more than empty words. Azam Jangravi, an Iranian based in Canada, said: "If he fails to act against this brutal regime, that trust will be broken and the people of Iran will not forget who stood with them, and who turned away."
As tensions remain high, there are growing fears that Trump may yet fulfill his promise of military intervention. However, many analysts believe that a US strike on Iran could have disastrous consequences for both countries involved.
In Tehran, protesters are left in limbo, unsure whether to take to the streets again or wait and see what Trump will do next. For now, they remain cut off from the rest of the world and under the heavy boot of authorities. As Alborz, a Tehran resident, put it: "The protests have come to a pause, people are waiting to see what Trump will do."
For those who trust no one anymore, the reality is bleak. A promise unkept has left Iranians feeling betrayed and disillusioned with the West's inability to act on their behalf.
. like, i get it, promises r broken all da time but this 1 hurts. Iranians were countin on him to help 'em out & now they're just sitin there waitin 4 him 2 do somethin. meanwhile thousands are stuck in detention facilities gettin tortured 
. it's all about playin the cards, right? trump gets good PR but Iranians r left feelin betrayed. trust issues 4 life.
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. so for iranians who trusted the US to have their backs, this is just another example of how even the most powerful countries can let them down 
.
how can u trust someone who's all talk when it comes to standing up for others? it's not like the west has been doing a great job helping iranians in the past 
. It's like he was all talk and no action 
. I feel so bad for the people of Iran who were counting on him to rescue them from their authoritarian regime 
.
. I think Iranians had every right to feel betrayed and disillusioned with his decision 
. It just shows a lack of leadership and responsibility from him as president 
. And now, it's left Iranians living abroad feeling even more frustrated and helpless 
.
. But for now, I think he needs to take a hard look at himself and figure out what went wrong 
.
Iranians were counting on him to actually do something for them, but now they're left wondering if all it was even worth getting hopes up in the first place 
... sounds like just another ploy to maintain control 
there has to be some way that trump can still make things right, maybe he'll do something behind the scenes that nobody knows about... or maybe the people of iran will just rise up again and take control of their own destiny 
whatever it is, i'm holding out for a better outcome 
. where r the sources on this? how can we trust what he's saying? 