Iran: The Latest 'I hate Trump but I support his war': why some Iranians celebrate this conflict
23 snips
Mar 11, 2026 
Sahar Zand, Iranian-British investigative journalist sharing firsthand messages from inside Iran. Paul Nuki, Global Health Security Editor reporting from Beirut on humanitarian and health impacts. They discuss why some Iranians celebrate strikes as aimed at the regime, censorship and young people's surprising reactions. Then the conversation shifts to Lebanon: civilian toll, mass displacement and regional escalation.
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Iranians Celebrating Strikes Against Regime
- Many Iranians view US/Israeli strikes as attacks on the regime, not the population, and are celebrating rather than uniformly mourning.
- Sahar Zand says precision of strikes and decades of regime oppression make some inside Iran see them as a rescuing force.
Protests Expose Regime Weakness Over Time
- Decades of repression and repeated crackdowns have instilled deep fear but also periodic bursts of mass protest that reveal regime vulnerability.
- Sahar Zand links 2009, 2019 and 2022 protests and the heavy reprisals as proof the regime is not invulnerable.
Personal Messages From Iranians On The Ground
- Voices from inside Iran describe trauma and resolve: a mother called the protest crackdown the real war and a teen said “We have nothing left to lose but the chains.”
- Sahar Zand relays messages from grieving families and prisoners' fears to illustrate why some welcome foreign strikes.