Why some Iranian Americans back the war on their country of origin

Summary

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Consider This from NPR

Episode Title: Why some Iranian Americans back the war on their country of origin
Date: March 29, 2026
Duration: ~8 minutes (excluding ads/intros/outros)
Host: Adrienne Ma (NPR)
Key Guest: Ramtin Arablouei (co-host, NPR’s Throughline)

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Episode Overview

This episode examines the complex and sometimes conflicting views among Iranian Americans regarding the ongoing war involving Iran, the United States, Israel, and regional allies. It highlights why some in the Iranian American diaspora support military action against Iran, delving into generational trauma, nostalgia for pre-revolutionary Iran, and the emergence of opposition figures like Reza Pahlavi amidst regime change protests. On-the-ground perspectives from recent rallies and expert analysis provide a textured understanding of a community wrestling with its identity and hopes for Iran’s future.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Escalation in the Middle East & Iranian American Tensions

• [00:00] Reports of intensified military conflict: Iranian strike on a Saudi airbase wounding US troops, Houthis entering the war, and Israel expanding its operations into Lebanon.
• [00:34] The war’s repercussions are felt among Iranian Americans, especially those with loved ones in the military.
  • Karina Kagan shares her anxiety:

    "Our daughter's in the army currently stationed in South Korea. And right now, the military boots on the ground possibility is the biggest thing in my head right now." ([00:34] - Karina Kagan)

2. Divergent Views within the Iranian Diaspora

• [01:02] Some community members fear repercussions of a ground invasion, both in terms of American and Iranian casualties, and possible shifting public opinion in the US.
  • Sahand Kodakian:

    "Ground troops is very scary. American troops could lose support from US Side. You could get a lot of casualties on the American front and that can make the public here completely against the Iranians." ([01:02] - Sahand Kodakian)

3. Protests and the Role of the Diaspora

• [02:20] The war has galvanized anti-regime protests in US cities, most recently a rally in Washington, D.C.

  • Ramtin Arablouei reports from the protest:
    • Large, diverse crowd of Iranian Americans, with notable support for Reza Pahlavi (exiled son of the pre-revolutionary Shah).
    • Presence of Iranian, American, and even Israeli flags—a striking image considering Israel’s current actions:

      "We saw people holding American flags and even Israeli flags, which I know for a lot of listeners that's confusing...It's basically a enemy of my enemy is my friend situation." ([03:52] - Ramtin Arablouei)

• Leila Raq, protester:

  "Israel, of course, with the help of United States, which we are very grateful because Israel, they know what we are going through. You have to have been living under this fascist regime so that you understand." ([04:24] - Leila Raq)

4. Nostalgia and the Return of Reza Pahlavi

• [05:02] Many in the diaspora advocate for Reza Pahlavi as a transitional leader, not necessarily as a restoration of monarchy but as a symbol uniting opposition to the Islamic Republic.
• Historical context: The nostalgia for pre-1979 Iran is a powerful force among the diaspora.
  • Holly Dagres (Washington Institute):

    "I remember Iranians used to be like Salman a Shah at the time of the Shah, when they wanted to talk about when things were better. And that I think that nostalgia has only grown because of the access to information. There's documentaries about pre revolutionary Iran. There's also all these nice pictures and photos that go viral." ([05:58] - Holly Dagres)

5. Understanding US and Israeli Motives

• [06:22] Turmoil has increased since the deaths of Iranian leadership and massive US/Israeli attacks. Despite opposition to the regime, many Iranian Americans remain skeptical that foreign intervention truly serves the interests of the Iranian people.
  • ‘Ramin,’ Protester:

    "Every country, they think about their benefits and about their interests. Yeah, of course, that's very normal. And we do not expect any country to come and spend millions and trillions of dollars just for the good of the people...But right now, our interests are aligned." ([07:08] - Ramin)

6. Diaspora Complexity and Political Symbolism

• [07:42] The rallying around Pahlavi is not universal; the community is diverse with significant disagreement about the war and regime change.
  • Ramtin Arablouei:

    "There are many Iranian Americans who are against this war. There's even some who are in support of the regime in Iran. But I do think it represents...most Iranian Americans feel about their desperate need to want to see the Islamic Republic fall." ([07:42] - Ramtin Arablouei) "They want to rally around someone. And what [Pahlavi] is providing is basically some kind of symbol or symbolic leadership for people to jump behind and say we want this to replace the Islamic Republic." ([08:23] - Ramtin Arablouei)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Conflicted patriotism and identity: Scene at rallies with protesters waving both American and Israeli flags ([03:52], [04:24]).
• Skepticism on foreign intervention:

  "We do not expect any country to come and spend millions and trillions of dollars just for the good of the people...But right now, our interests are aligned." ([07:08] - Ramin)

• On nostalgia for the monarchy:

  "...that nostalgia has only grown because of the access to information. There's documentaries about pre revolutionary Iran. There's also all these nice pictures and photos that go viral." ([05:58] - Holly Dagres)

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Important Timestamps

• [00:00-01:02] Introduction: Current conflict and Iranian American perspectives
• [02:20-03:52] Protest scenes in Washington D.C.; flags and symbolism at the demonstration
• [05:02-05:58] Discussion about nostalgia, Reza Pahlavi, and diaspora sentiment
• [07:08] Protester Ramin’s perspective on intervention and interests
• [07:42-08:30] Complexity of diaspora politics and the symbolism of Pahlavi

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Conclusion

The episode offers a concise yet nuanced exploration of why some Iranian Americans support military intervention against Iran, shaped by trauma, nostalgia, and a desire for regime change—even if it means aligning with foreign powers. Yet, the diversity of opinion within the community is emphasized, particularly regarding the risks, motivations, and alternatives for Iran’s future.

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End of Summary

Transcript

[A]

It was a weekend of protests and military escalation in the Middle East. An Iranian attack on an air base in Saudi Arabia hit several aircraft and wounded more than a dozen US Troops. Yemeni Houthis backed by Iran entered the war. And Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Sunday that his country would widen its invasion of southern Lebanon. All of this as President Trump weighs ending the war he started or extending it by ordering newly arrived Marines and paratroopers onto Iranian shores.

[B]

Our daughter's in the army currently stationed in South Korea. And right now, the military boots on the ground possibility is the biggest thing in my head right now.

[A]

That's Karina Kagan speaking to member station KCUR in Kansas City on Saturday. She was one of many protesters who turned out across the country at the third no Kings demonstration against President Trump. The idea of a ground invasion of Iran is also divisive for members of the Iranian diaspora.

[C]

Ground troops is very scary. American troops could lose support from US Side. You could get a lot of casualties on the American front and that can make the public here completely against the Iranians.

[A]

That's Sahand Kodakian at an anti regime protest on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. on Sunday. Consider this. At the heart of the war in the Gulf is a question about the fate of the Iranian government. What do some Iranians in the United States want that government to look like and why? From npr, I'm Adrienne Ma.

[D]

These days it feels like the news changes every hour. Well, NPR has a podcast that does that too. NPR News now brings you a fresh five minute episode every hour of the day with the latest, most important headlines in episodes that are clear, fact based and easy to digest. Listen to NPR News now on the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts.

[A]

It's consider this from npr. Here in the US the war with Iran has prompted many Iranian Americans to to take to the streets to express their opposition to the Iranian regime. The past month has seen demonstrations in LA, New York and on Sunday in D.C. ramtin Arablouei, co host of NPR's history podcast Throughline, was at that rally.

[E]

We are here at the National Mall where there is a demonstration taking place in support of Reza Pahlavi, who many Iranian Americans support as a potential future leader of Iran if the Islamic Republic were to fall. The crowd is about a couple of thousand people, it appears. Organizers have told me they expect upwards of 100,000, but we're nowhere near that number right now. The crowd is chanting this is the final battle.

[A]

Pahlavi will return this Rally did not come out of nowhere. It's tied to a long standing debate among Iranians in the country and the diaspora over who should govern Iran. For more context, we're joined now by Ramtin in the studio. Ramtin, thanks for being here.

[F]

Thanks for having me, Adrian.

[A]

And can you start by telling us more about what you saw at this D.C. demonstration?

[F]

Yes. So when we arrived, there was, you know, a very large crowd of diverse set of Iranians, mostly Iranian Americans, flying

[E]

flags, holding up the, the picture of Reza Pahlavi.

[F]

And we saw a bunch of different flags. There was the lion and sun flag, which is the flag of Iran that was there before the Islamic Revolution in 1979. We saw people holding American flags and even Israeli flags, which I know for a lot of listeners that's confusing, right? Like why are they holding up the flag of a country that's attacking them? But I think it's a pretty simple explanation for many of these protesters who we talk to. It's basically a enemy of my enemy is my friend situation. And that's exactly what one of the protesters told me named Leila Raq.

[G]

They are bringing peace in the whole world.

[F]

Israel.

[G]

Israel, of course, with the help of United States, which we are very grateful because Israel, they know what we are going through. You have to have been living under this fascist regime so that you understand

[A]

what is the interesting. Ramtin, earlier this year you did an episode of Throughline on the anti government protests that swept Iran at the end of 2025 and earlier this year. How do you see today's actions fitting into that history?

[F]

So I think a lot of what we're seeing today and what we saw at the protest comes out of that movement and the frustration many people had or anger people had at the way the Islamic Republic responded to those protests by, you know, firing on protesters and killing, you know, the number's not even accur agreed upon, but many thousands of protesters in the process. And I think what we're also seeing is a real debate about what the future of Iran is going to be. And everyone we spoke to today, basically everyone wants Reza Pahlavi, the son of the king who was overthrown in 1979, to return as what they call as a transitional leader. But when you ask them, like, why, why do you want the son of a former dictator to be back in power? Their answer seems to really come from a sense of nostalgia about what it was like to be in Iran before the Islamic Revolution. They look back at that time with nostalgic feelings. And this is what Holly Dagres, an expert from the Washington Institute, told me when I asked her that same question.

[H]

I remember Iranians used to be like Salman a Shah at the time of the Shah, when they wanted to talk about when things were better. And that I think that nostalgia has only grown because of the access to information. There's documentaries about pre revolutionary Iran. There's also all these nice pictures and photos that go viral.

[A]

I mean, of course, a lot has changed in Iran since you published that episode.

[F]

Yes, definitely. I mean, as you know, listeners will know, the US and Israel have now conducted a massive air attack, which is ongoing. Iran's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, you know, has been killed. But that anti regime feeling, that was really alive back in January, especially for Iranian Americans, that's still very much alive. And the thing is, people seem to understand the people we asked today that the US and Israel are not necessarily doing this to help the Iranian people. You know, I asked one protester named Ramin that very same question. He didn't want to give us his last name because he said he feared reprisal from the government in Iran if he gave it to us. But I asked him that question directly. Do you think the US and Israel are doing this to help the Iranian people? And his answer was really interesting.

[I]

Every country, they think about their benefits and about their interests. Yeah, of course, that's very normal. And we do not expect any country to come and spend millions and trillions of dollars just for the good of the people, because we want this or we want that they do this. But right now, our interests are aligned.

[A]

Right now, you know, your work is all about putting current events in historical context. What do you think today's rally tells us about the politics of the Iranian diaspora?

[F]

First, I want to say that the crowd that we talk to today is definitely not representative of the entire Iranian American diaspora. There are lots of complex views. There are many Iranian Americans who are against this war. There's even some who are in support of the regime in Iran. But I do think it represents how many Iranians, and I would say probably most Iranian Americans, feel about their desperate need to want to see the Islamic Republic fall. Now, with regards to Reza Pahlavi, which is what this protesters were there supporting today, they seem to really be rallying behind him. Not necessarily because they support the idea of a monarchy or that they even see him as a permanent leader for Iran, but they want to rally around someone. And what he's providing is basically some kind of symbol or symbolic leadership for people to jump behind and say we want this to replace the Islamic Republic.

[A]

We've been speaking with Ramtin Arablouei, co host of NPR's history podcast, Throughline. Ramtin, thanks for your reporting.

[F]

Thanks so much for having me, Adrian.

[A]

This episode was produced by Michael Levitt and Henry Larson. It was edited by Tim Beat Ermias and Sarah Robbins. Our executive producer is Sammy Yenigun. It's consider this from npr. I'm Adrian Master.