Giving peace a chance Trump told Iranian protesters ‘help is on its way’ — but deal leaves mullahs more powerful than ever: dissidents
Iranians who stood against the regime are left feeling frustrated and angry as details emerge of the peace deal between Washington and Tehran.
By Ronny Reyes
Published June 16, 2026, 6:30 a.m. ET
Many Iranians who stood against the regime are left feeling frustrated and angry as details emerge of the peace deal between Washington and Tehran — worrying that the Islamist hardliners are now more powerful and entrenched than ever.
President Trump signaled that the US was going to war with Iran’s regime partially over the deaths of thousands of anti-regime protesters. “HELP IS ON ITS WAY,” he posted on Truth Social on Jan. 13.
“They are frustrated that the regime is being left in place, unchecked, and soon to receive economic relief from the United States,” Khosro Isfahani, the research director for the Washington-based National Union for Democracy in Iran (NUFDI) think tank, told The Post.
“They fear this will embolden the Islamic Republic and allow it to redirect the frustration and defeat it suffered at America’s hands into rage against unarmed, innocent Iranians,” he added.
The feeling was echoed by Hessam Rahimian, founder of the Arizona-based Iranian Liberty Foundation group, who said he was “unhappy, upset, [and] angry” by the deal that was made over the weekend.
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https://nypost.com/2026/06/16/world-news/iranian-dissidents-frustrated-after-trumps-peace-deal-leaves-regime-in-power/