Dialogue with American Legislators; Tom McClintock: We Will Witness the Collapse of the 'Iranian Regime'

Following the fall of Bashar al-Assad's government in Syria and its potential widespread consequences for the Middle East, several senior members of the U.S. House of Representatives from both the Democratic and Republican parties held a meeting on Tuesday, December 18, to discuss the implications of this development for the Iranian government and to present their recommendations for future U.S. foreign policy. Some participants in this meeting responded to questions from a VOA Persian reporter regarding their expectations for U.S. foreign policy towards the Islamic Republic. Nancy Mace stated that in her opinion, the priority of the Trump administration should be to avoid providing cash to the Iranian regime and to counter the regime's 'terrorist operations' both inside and outside Iran. Regarding the possibility of a return to the 'maximum pressure' policy, she noted that given the current global situation, it is sensitive and the world needs 'strong leadership,' which she believes Mr. Trump exemplifies. In response to a question about what the future Trump administration's foreign policy should be to assist Iranian women and girls striving for equal rights, she said that supporting their human rights and ensuring the release of political prisoners and negotiating for their freedom could be effective. Republican Representative Rani Jackson stated that the future U.S. government's policy should first hold the Islamic Republic accountable, as they are still engaged in spreading terrorism worldwide and acting against the U.S. and Israel through their proxies in the region, and this behavior must be stopped. He added that the Islamic Republic must choose to either collapse or return to the international community. Jackson emphasized that Donald Trump's approach would differ from that of the Biden administration and added that the people of Iran deserve to live in a democratic society without nuclear weapons. Tom McClintock stated to VOA that with the collapse of Bashar al-Assad's government in Syria, the defeat of Hezbollah, and Israel's effective actions to neutralize the Islamic Republic's agents, it can be said that the people of Iran are at the end of their tolerance for this regime, adding that 'in the next year, we will witness the collapse of the Islamic Republic.' He identified maximum pressure and material support for internal opponents as the best foreign policy to support the efforts of Iranian women and girls. Tim Burchett expressed that the U.S. should leverage its economic power to support Iranian citizens seeking freedom, emphasizing that the strongest tool the U.S. has is its economic power and that maximum pressure is the path to follow. Judy Chu noted that the regime's weakness might present an opportunity for progress towards a democratic Iran, stating that it is essential to ensure that the demands of the Iranian people are heard and pursued, and that the Islamic Republic abandons its repressive ways. She added that she would support any policy that prevents the Islamic Republic from acquiring nuclear weapons. Rick McCormick suggested that the future U.S. government should prevent any opportunities for the Islamic Republic to generate money or weapons and spread terrorism worldwide, believing that Donald Trump would use every tool for sanctions to reduce the Islamic Republic's oil sales. Erica Lee Carter stated that the future U.S. government should focus on human rights and the preservation of the Iranian people's dignity, providing sufficient support so that if protests arise, they know that the U.S. stands with them for their freedom and democracy. She emphasized that the U.S. should connect with those who can strive for a free Iran and utilize U.S. resources to bolster the efforts of Iranian women and girls. Brad Sherman remarked that the time has come for the Iranian clerics to step back, acknowledging the poor economic situation in Iran and stating that the Islamic Republic will try to blame U.S. sanctions, while if it halted its nuclear program or ceased support for the Houthis, many sanctions would be lifted. He added that the U.S. must loudly declare its support for women's lives and freedoms, and that the killing of Mahsa Amini will not be forgotten. Sherman concluded, 'The time has come for the clerics to step back.' Trump refrained from commenting on a preemptive strike against the Islamic Republic.