Trump admin bypasses Tehran's isolation campaign to reach Iranians directly
FIRST ON FOX: As the Trump administration continues negotiations with Iran, it is also taking its message directly to the Iranian people.In a video obtained by Fox News Digital, the...
By Fox News · Fox News
FIRST ON FOX: As the Trump administration continues negotiations with Iran, it is also taking its message directly to the Iranian people. In a video obtained by Fox News Digital, the State Department bypasses Iran's leadership to tell ordinary Iranians that their country's problems stem not from its citizens, but from a government that "chooses confrontation over opportunity." "The Iranian people are not the problem. A leadership that fears openness and chooses confrontation over opportunity is the problem." The video will run Thursday in Persian language outlets Iran International and BBC Persian. IRAN PROTESTERS EMBOLDENED BY TRUMP ADMIN’S PERSIAN MESSAGING AFTER OBAMA-BIDEN INACTION, ACTIVISTS SAY The video is likely to be viewed by some regime opponents as symbolic support at a time when many critics of the Islamic Republic have called for more concrete measures from Washington. It also comes as millions of Iranians regain access to the outside world after months of digital isolation. Iranian authorities recently began restoring internet access following an 88-day nationwide blackout that was initially imposed during anti-government protests and later expanded after the outbreak of war with the United States and Israel. Internet monitoring groups say connectivity has improved, though significant restrictions remain in place across the country. Earlier in 2026, anti-government protests spread across the country and evolved into one of the most serious challenges to the Islamic Republic in decades before being crushed by a sweeping government crackdown. Protesters faced mass arrests, internet blackouts and lethal force from security services, according to human rights groups and international monitors. Iran's opposition remains fragmented, divided among monarchists, reformists, ethnic movements and other factions, and intelligence assessments have questioned whether any unified alternative is positioned to take power should the Islamic Republic fall. Throughout t…