Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) has appealed directly to Americans, saying President Donald Trump’s US government “must change.”
In a lengthy open letter (PDF) released Tuesday, the Revolutionary Guards calls on Americans to “wake up” and “take back control from corrupt politicians.”
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The message came five weeks before the U.S. midterm elections and a day after the U.S. and Israel’s war against Iran reached its seven-month milestone.
The Revolutionary Guards said, “Now is the time, when America’s political system is at its weakest.”
The letter, addressed to “honored citizens of the United States,” accuses the Trump administration of misleading the American public about the war, Iran’s nuclear program, and who controls the Strait of Hormuz.
He also declared Iran the winner of the war and claimed that the United States had not achieved any of its stated goals, including reducing Iran’s nuclear program.
“The United States and Israel have dropped thousands of bombs and missiles and attacked government and residential buildings, as well as dozens of low-grade weapons production facilities and decommissioned military facilities,” the letter said.
“However, other than damaging some buildings associated with Iran’s nuclear industry and a limited number of air defense facilities, it failed to achieve any of its stated objectives.”
The letter is careful to distinguish between the U.S. government and its people, and seeks to draw parallels between the concerns of U.S. voters and Iranians.
The paper argues that “the countries of Iran and the United States are, in their own ways, victims of the ‘corrupt politicians’ in the White House.” “We share the same pain,” the letter said.
The letter is not Iran’s first attempt to contact Americans directly. Since the war began on February 28, Iran-linked media and online networks have used artificial intelligence (AI) to generate Lego-themed videos, memes, and other English-language short-form content to spread the Iranian government’s message about the war.
The letter also explains the “Death to America” slogan sometimes used in Iranian politics, arguing that it is directed at the American political establishment rather than the American people.
“‘Death to America’ is a prayer for the eradication of the nefarious ruling elite whose seat of power is the White House,” the letter reads.
“Big lie”
Hossein Mohebi, a spokesman for the Revolutionary Guards, echoed the message of the letter to reporters on Tuesday, accusing President Trump of being a “habitual liar” and telling “big lies” to the American people during his time in office.
He also claimed that the American public is largely unaware of the “harm” of the Trump administration’s election campaign.
“I don’t think the American people are aware of this reality,” Mohebi told reporters Tuesday. “If they knew these realities, they would definitely change their minds and put pressure on the government.”
Al Jazeera reached out to the White House for comment, but did not receive a response by the time of publication.
President Trump has repeatedly cited the threat of nuclear weapons as one of the reasons for starting a war against Iran. But Iran denies developing nuclear weapons and has accused President Trump of lying about its uranium enrichment program, which it says is for civilian energy purposes.
“The enemy (the United States) knows that Iran is not aiming for nuclear weapons,” Mohebi said.
Mohebi also disputed US claims that Iran has lost much of its influence over the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for global fuel and fertilizer trade. Since the start of the war, Iran has restricted traffic in the strait, and the United States has responded with a blockade.
“The fact that Americans might sneak through the Strait of Hormuz in small vessels under cover of darkness at great expense and high risk does not mean the strait is open,” Mohebi said.
But oil exports through the strait have rebounded, averaging about 13.2 million barrels a day in the past week, about 77% of pre-war levels, according to data from trade analysis firm Kupler.
President Trump has repeatedly claimed that Iran is “losing badly,” and recently dismissed Iran’s proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz as “unacceptable.”
U.S. and Iranian officials met separately with mediators on Monday as part of renewed efforts to end the war. The Iranian government said a day earlier that diplomacy was the only way to resolve the conflict.
But President Trump last week weighed whether to “annihilate” Iran at the United Nations General Assembly.
“I have a big decision to make,” Trump said. “Will we come to an agreement with Iran that will allow Iran to rebuild and create a much greater country than it ever was, perhaps the greatest country in the Middle East or the world? Or will we annihilate the Islamic Republic and do it right away?”
He speculated that a deal could be reached “immediately after the election” on November 3. The midterm elections will determine which political party controls the U.S. Congress and whether President Trump faces legislative hurdles in the final two years of his second term.
