[emilsedgh]

Iran is still suffering heavily from that coup.

That was the closest we ever were to a democracy. However, democracy is very fragile, specially at the beginning.

And it was shattered and to this day, we never got as close. Tyrant regimes come and go and we still think what might've been. We could've easily been another France in middle east.

Source: Iranian living in the U.S.

[dr_dshiv]

I agree. It's really sad. Iran had/has so much potential.

[leereeves]

As an Iranian living in the US, what's your perspective on the recent claims by US officials: things like Iran attacking civilians in Saudi Arabia and US forces in SA and Iraq, seizing tankers, and supporting militias who were attempting to take over Iraq and killing protestors there?

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/u-s-says-iran-may-have-ki...

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/military/u-s-officials-iran-off...

https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/19/middleeast/british-tanker-sei...

[emilsedgh]

They didn't happen in a vacuum. The U.S. is suffocating Iran. The sanctions doesn't allow anybody in the world to have any commerce with Iran.

I was fully onboard with Obama's sanctions. They had a clear ask: Stop the nuclear development. Everybody understood it and is was clear.

Iran agreed to JCPOA and stopped any nuclear development.

Why is Iran under sanctions now? They have given a list of demands and it's basically a big fuck you to the Islamic Republic that is never going to happen.

If someone tries to suffocate you, you are going to kick back.

I'm not a fan of Islamic Republic. Fuck them. But at least during the Obama administration, the immediate threat (Nuclear development) was stopped and there was a dialogue. The two countries had direct lines of communication and even helped each other out fighting ISIS.

Reformists in Iran gained credibility and power, and slowly Iran could've gotten back to a democratic path.

Now, reformists are cast out and have 0 credibility with people. Hardliners in Iran have power. And they are being suffocated, so they kick back by attacking ships, drones or tankers or arresting innocent people.

[leereeves]

If could understand if Iraq struck back at the US. But kicking back at the US by seizing a British oil tanker or attacking Saudi civilians and Iraqi protestors?

[emilsedgh]

1. I'm not saying they are good or rational people.

2. This is the only leverage they have. Do you want them to do drone strikes on the U.S. soil?

[leereeves]

I just think there's more going on than merely kicking back at the US. They're even cracking down on protestors inside Iran.

[selimthegrim]

How was Mossadeq a democrat when he was starting to pay people off in the Majlis?