Recent military strikes have sparked celebrations among some Iranians, who view any weakening of the Islamic Republic as an opportunity for political change, despite widespread condemnation of war from Western activists. Analysts say this reaction highlights a disconnect between progressive activism in the West and the experiences of many within Iran.
Iranians See Opportunity in Weakening of Islamic Republic
Analysts say the reaction among many Iranians isn’t rooted in ideological loyalty, but in a desire to escape decades of repression. “War is violent, it’s terrible and it has started. The people of Iran didn’t choose this war — the Islamic government, the Islamic Republic government, chose this war,” said Siavash Rokni, an Iran pop culture expert.
Rokni added that Iranians “will use any opportunity to bypass the Islamic Republic to assure the fall of the Islamic Republic and the institution of a democracy.”
Some anti-war protests in Western capitals have featured support for the regime responsible for killing Iranians, including images of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Rokni stated that opposing war and supporting the regime responsible for violence are incompatible positions.
Celebrations and Cultural Symbolism
Following the confirmed death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, videos circulated online showing Iranians dancing to the Village People’s “Y.M.C.A.” in the style popularized by former U.S. President Donald Trump. The song’s release in 1978-1979 coincided with the period of Iran’s Islamic Revolution and the fall of the Shah.
The resurgence of the song represents, for some, a celebration of the potential unraveling of the current regime. Celebrations were reported both inside Iran and in diaspora communities in cities like Los Angeles and London.
Footage reviewed by Iran International shows explosions in Tehran with an Iranian man saying, “Thank you Mr. President, thank President Trump, we love you.” Another video depicts a woman shouting “Trump!” followed by cheers and the sound of a vuvuzela-style horn.
In a separate clip filmed inside Iran, a woman in Farsi says, “Bibi, we are happy, Netanyahu, Israel, Trump…death to Terrorist, thank you for helping us Hooray.” A video recorded after the bombing of Khamenei’s headquarters shows young people flashing peace signs in response to the joint US-Israel military strikes.
Decades of Struggle
Khorso Isfahani, an Iran analyst with NUFDI, framed the reaction as the culmination of decades of struggle against what he described as Islamist fascist occupation. “Iranians have been on the front line of fighting against Islamist fascist occupation of Iran for the past five decades. We have sacrificed so many lives, but it has always been an uphill battle. Finally the moment has arrived and we are celebrating it.”
David Patrikarakos, a British journalist of part-Iranian origin, noted that many Western activists fail to understand this context. He described much of the protest movement as “signaling your virtue” while “paying no attention to the suffering and the thoughts of people inside Iran.”
Patrikarakos added that support for figures like Trump or Netanyahu is often circumstantial for Iranians, not based on ideological devotion. For those celebrating, analysts say the moment represents a potential turning point in the decades-long fight for political change.
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