Episode Summary: “They See Him as Their Only Hope”: Why Some Iranians Are Backing Trump

Podcast: The Tara Palmeri Show
Date: March 9, 2026
Host: Tara Palmeri
Guest: Moj Mahdara, Iranian American entrepreneur, activist, founding member of the Iranian Diaspora Collective

Brief Overview

This episode examines the extraordinary turn of events in Iran with the appointment of Mojtaba Khamenei as Supreme Leader amidst escalating regional volatility. Host Tara Palmeri is joined by Moj Mahdara to discuss the prospects for Iran under hardline rule, the desperate hope some Iranians are placing in Donald Trump for regime change, and the complex geopolitical and humanitarian stakes for the United States. The exchange exposes the raw emotional and strategic dilemmas facing both Iranians and Americans as war and regime change dominate headlines.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Ascension of Mojtaba Khamenei and Its Consequences

• Mahdara describes Mojtaba Khamenei’s rise as a “terrible outcome for the Iranian people and the American people” [02:12]. Mojtaba is characterized as younger, more ideologically extreme, and more tightly linked to the IRGC than his father or predecessors.

  • Notable involvement: directed IRGC actions during major crackdowns (Green Movement 2009, 2019 massacre, death of Jina “Mahsa” Amini and Women, Life, Freedom protests).
  • Mojtaba “is very focused on a continuation of what Iranians call hominism, which is a real break from traditional Islam or the Muslim faith” [03:30].

• No Signs of Reform:
  “If the Islamic Republic was going to pivot towards reform, this would have been the best way to signal that. ... Their only choices were hardliners. And unfortunately, this hardliner also has an intense ability to direct the military...” — Moj Mahdara [04:55]

The Iranian View on U.S. Policy and Trump

• Widespread Faith in Trump:
  “The Iranian people, whether you like it or not, whether I like it or not, completely trust and believe in Donald Trump. They see him as their only hope.” — Moj Mahdara [06:52]

• Contrast with Past U.S. Presidents:
  Mahdara argues that previous U.S. presidents (Biden, Obama, Bush) have either directly or indirectly supported the regime, or “whitewashed” its oppression in favor of diplomatic agreements.

  • “...he’s the only president who has ever done anything to help the Iranian people. Because every other president has not even acknowledged the suffering and oppression of the Iranian people.” [07:13]

• Iranians' Desperation:
  – Even amid bombardments and smoke-filled air, people in Iran do not beg for ceasefire as much as for change:
  “Imagine being bombarded and you're screaming, no ceasefire.” — Moj Mahdara [09:03]

The Dilemma of Regime Change

• Consequence of U.S. Withdrawal/Pull-Out:

  • Mahdara stresses that “anything less than regime change is one of the most negligent things that the American government will have ever done” [13:51].
  • Leaving Iran to a more extreme regime could have dire consequences for both Iranians and U.S. interests.

• Need for U.S. Messaging and Care:

  • “They need to be talking to those people as if they are in care of them. ... They need to not be hitting any civilian locations.” — Moj Mahdara (re: U.S. and Israeli policymakers) [12:24]
  • Calls for restoring internet access (pressuring Elon Musk to activate Starlink for Iranians) and freeing political prisoners (Nasrin Sotoudeh, Narges Mohammadi).

• Support for Reza Pahlavi:

  • Mahdara and many Iranians see Reza Pahlavi (son of Iran’s last Shah) as the “only transitional leader that is out there,” calling for U.S. support in helping him build a coalition. [12:11]

Geopolitical Stakes: Iran, China, and Russia

• Why Iran Matters:

  • “Without Iran, there is no Ukraine war... If Iran does not get stabilization from the West, it is going to get control from China and Russia.” — Moj Mahdara [17:28]
  • Mahdara underlines that loss of Iran to the China-Russia axis would be disastrous for U.S. global position and regional security.

• Comparison with Other Regime Change Efforts:

  • “This is not like going into Venezuela and taking out Maduro. ... We’re talking about a religious ideology here. Venezuela doesn’t have a call to end Israel and end America. They don’t chant that in schools. Iran does.” — Mahdara [18:20]

American Political Calculus and War Fatigue

• Host (Tara Palmeri) frames the domestic challenges:

  • U.S. public “don’t have a strong appetite for war in the Middle East.” [19:23]
  • Political risk for Trump given oil price spikes, midterm elections, fears of escalation and terrorism at home.

• Mahdara’s Response:

  • Acknowledges sorrow over loss of U.S. troops and economic pain, but insists the instability under Iran’s regime costs the U.S. more in the long run.
  • “The Democrats have kicked this can down the road for decades...It has hurt American policy worldwide...” [21:03]
  • “People want to say it’s on Trump. I say it’s on every president before Trump...” [21:35]

• Regime Change Vs. Protracted War:

  • “I think what we want is regime change, and we want to immediately stop the bombardment, finish the military sites, and push for regime change. I think it's disingenuous for the US Government to say this is anything other than regime change.” — [29:57]
  • “I think that the Israeli intelligence...given what I’ve seen of taking out the Supreme Leader, within the first 12 hours, they seem to know exactly where these targets are.” — Mahdara on how quickly change could theoretically occur [30:32]

Lessons from Iraq, Afghanistan, and Policy Failures

• Mahdara notes learning from past mistakes:
  • “...everyone that was sort of involved in that conflict...has been brought in to consult on what went wrong and really having conversations around what it can be different...” [25:45]
  • Criticizes Democrats and U.S. leadership for failing to “own” mistakes and for not seizing earlier moments for regime change during the Green Movement (2009), or in the aftermath of the JCPOA.

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• "We're half happy, half anxiety, half crying, half jubilated. It's so, so, so emotionally unregulated. Mosh is terrifying. This is like the worst outcome for the Iranian people and the American people." — Moj Mahdara [02:12]
• “He’s the only president that has done something to actually hurt the regime. Everyone else has helped the regime. Joe Biden helped the regime. President Obama helped the regime.” — Moj Mahdara [07:13]
• “The Iranian people...they love. They...have conviction and...hope for Donald Trump that he comes through for them because...they believe him when they say that help is on the way.” — Moj Mahdara [07:18]
• “Imagine being bombarded and you’re screaming, no ceasefire.” — Moj Mahdara [09:03]
• “They need to be very mindful that they are talking to a scared public that trusts them.” — Moj Mahdara, on U.S. political messaging [12:14]
• "Anything less than regime change is one of the most negligent things that the American government will have ever done.” — Moj Mahdara [13:51]
• “Without Iran, there is no Ukraine war...I think Taiwan will be gone in a matter of 12 months if we do not push for regime change." — [17:28]
• “I think World War III looks like an information war.” — Moj Mahdara [32:48]

Timestamps for Major Segments

• [00:35] Introduction: Mojtaba Khamenei’s rise and background
• [01:16] Moj Mahdara introduction and her credentials
• [02:12] Why Mojtaba’s rule is alarming for Iranians and the West
• [04:55] No hope for internal reform; hardliner succession explained
• [06:52] Why Trump is the "only hope" for many Iranians
• [09:03] First-person account of family in Iran, desperation, and lack of ceasefire sentiment
• [12:11] Discussion on support for Reza Pahlavi and need for U.S. caution
• [13:51] The case for regime change as a U.S. responsibility
• [17:28] Iran’s role in the China/Russia geopolitical axis
• [18:20] Comparison with Venezuela, the unique challenge of Iran
• [19:23] U.S. war fatigue, economic consequences, and Trump’s political risk
• [21:35] Regime change as historical and bipartisan failure
• [25:45] Policy lessons from Iraq/Afghanistan and Democratic shortcomings
• [29:57] The demand for regime change, not endless war
• [30:32] How quickly could regime change really happen?
• [31:20] What Mahdara wants to see in the coming days: free prisoners, restore internet, careful U.S. messaging
• [32:48] Is this World War III? The information war thesis
• [33:55] Conclusion: the imperative of pursuing regime change for a better world

Tone and Closing Thoughts

The episode is intense, urgent, and emotionally raw, shaped by both geopolitical gravity and deeply personal stakes. Mahdara, speaking as an activist and someone with family in Iran, conveys both the despair and the slender threads of hope many Iranians feel—hope placed, somewhat ironically, in the hands of Donald Trump as a historic enabler of regime change. Palmeri’s probing and candid questions ground the conversation in American political reality and public skepticism, while Mahdara’s unfiltered advocacy brings home the consequences—both strategic and human—of decisions made thousands of miles away.

For listeners seeking an inside understanding of how Iranians—both inside and outside the country—are responding to regime change, U.S. policy, and the Trump phenomenon, this episode offers an unvarnished, deeply informed, and personal perspective.