This post is also available in:
English
Short answer
Calls for U.S. military action against Iran are based on decades of documented repression and regional aggression by the Islamic Republic. Since 1979, the regime has crushed protests with deadly force, including the 2025 to 2026 nationwide uprising, when security forces used mass shootings, arrests, torture, and internet blackouts to silence dissent. At the same time, Tehran built a large proxy network, arming Hezbollah in Lebanon, militias in Iraq, the Houthis in Yemen, and Hamas in Gaza to expand its influence and attack U.S. allies. Iran has the largest missile arsenal in the region, enriches uranium to near weapons grade levels, and has repeatedly enabled attacks on U.S. personnel through its proxies. It has also supplied drones to Russia and was behind the 1983 Beirut bombing that killed 241 U.S. Marines.
When a regime combines brutal internal repression, terrorist sponsorship all over the Middle-East, nuclear escalation to reach a nuclear weapons threshold level, and open threats against American forces and allies, the question is no longer recognizing the danger, but how long inaction can continue without triggering greater conflict.
Long answer
A U.S. military action against Iran is based on a long record of aggression, repression, and regional instability caused by the Islamic Republic. Since 1979, the regime has violently crushed its own people, killing thousands during major protest waves in 1999, 2009, 2019, and 2022, and imprisoning tens of thousands more. During the 2025 to 2026 nationwide anti regime protests, security forces again used mass shootings, internet blackouts, mass arrests, and torture, with tens of thousands abused and many reportedly killed. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Basij militias have repeatedly used live ammunition, rape, torture, and intimidation to stay in power.
Iran has built the largest proxy network in the Middle East to expand its influence while avoiding direct responsibility. In Lebanon, Hezbollah dominates key security decisions and holds an arsenal larger than many national armies. In Iraq, Iranian backed militias attack U.S. forces and pressure the government. In Yemen, the Houthis use Iranian missiles and drones to threaten Gulf states and disrupt Red Sea shipping. In Gaza, Iran arms and funds Hamas, a U.S. designated terrorist organization that openly calls for Israel’s destruction.
Iranian leaders openly call for eliminating Israel and removing the United States from the region. Iran has the largest ballistic missile arsenal in the Middle East and continues to expand it. It has supplied attack drones to Russia for use in Ukraine, spreading instability beyond the region. Iranian backed militias have repeatedly attacked U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria. Iran was also behind the 1983 Beirut barracks bombing that killed 241 U.S. Marines.
The United States also played a major role in shaping the current situation in Iran. In 1953, a CIA and UK backed coup removed Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh after he nationalized Iran’s oil, and restored the Shah’s power. The Shah ruled as an authoritarian leader with strong U.S. support, and his repression created deep anger inside the country. That anger helped Islamist forces take control during the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Later U.S. policy mistakes, mixed signals, and weak enforcement allowed the new regime to survive, consolidate power, and expand across the region. Because of this history, the United States carries responsibility not only for past decisions but also for addressing the consequences of those mistakes today.
When a regime combines brutal internal repression, external aggression, terrorist sponsorship across the Middle East, nuclear escalation toward a weapons-grade threshold, and open threats against American forces and allies, the issue is no longer recognizing the danger. The real question is how long it can be contained without serious consequences. The choice is whether continued inaction reduces the risk of war or makes a larger and more dangerous conflict more likely.
