Trump’s Iran deal is a fantasy as long as Tehran’s terror network exists
New agreement rewards a system built on violence while the forces behind the uprising are ignored
By Erfan Fard Fox News
Published June 22, 2026 5:00am EDT
In 1979, American indecision and the abandonment of a loyal ally helped pave the way for the rise of Islamist terrorism and the loss of pro-Western Iran to the Soviet camp. In 2026, the same reluctance to support Iran's pro-democracy opposition and its recognized leadership has once again strengthened Islamist forces, leaving America humiliated and strategically diminished while the struggle between radical Islamism and Iranian nationalism continues beneath the surface.
Many Iranians view 1979’s revolt as the beginning of a regime built on violence and terrorism. During the uprising, Trump voiced support for the Iranians while continuing to pursue a deal with Tehran. Yet many regime opponents later thanked Trump and Netanyahu for confronting Ali Khamenei, whom they regarded as the principal symbol of repression and bloodshed in Iran.
Reasonable people can support or oppose the agreement. Yet several realities should not be ignored. Throughout history, dictators and terrorist movements have not changed their nature simply because others chose to negotiate with them. A dictator does not become a friend of freedom overnight, and a terrorist organization does not suddenly begin handing flowers and chocolates to the very people it has oppressed and humiliated.
The belief that Iran's barbaric ruling system can fundamentally change without dismantling its destructive ideological foundations and propaganda machinery is unrealistic. The structure remains intact. The institutions that sustain the regime remain in place. Eliminating a few commanders or military assets does not dismantle a deeply entrenched junta and ideological system.
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