Negotiations with Iran betrays both our nations

As an Iranian-born Christian who survived the brutality of Iran’s Evin Prison because of my faith, I’ve witnessed and suffered the Islamic regime’s cruelty firsthand: their lies, their oppression, their unrelenting hatred for, and repression of any freedom. When I hear about the United States negotiating with Iran’s Islamic leaders, my heart aches for both my homeland and my adopted country, America. Negotiation with this regime is not just futile — it’s dangerous. Those who champion an “America First” approach, yet shy away from maximum pressure on Iran are mistaken, either avoiding or ignorant of the truth that the regime’s very survival threatens us all. The only solution for Iran, for America, and for the world is regime change — a new Iran, free from misogynist Islamic extremism, that will align with the values of liberty and peace for which America stands and should be supporting.

Negotiating with Iran’s Islamic regime is like bargaining with a scorpion. Death is inevitable. For over four decades, the Islamic Republic has proven it cannot be trusted. They brainwash children to chant “Death to America” while smiling at and deceiving diplomats. They are the largest global funder of terrorism through its tentacles such as Hezbollah, Hamas, the Houthis, and more, all while pretending to want peace. They violate every international agreement, from the 2015 JCOPA nuclear deal to basic human rights treaties, with impunity.

I’ve seen their deception up close. In 2009, I was arrested because of my Christian faith. They tortured me and my cellmates and executed my best friend. The U.S. cannot afford to repeat this mistake. Negotiation strengthens their hand, giving them time to advance their nuclear ambitions, oppress their people, and destabilize the Middle East. Let the world not be deceived: For the ayatollahs, negotiation is a tactic to reach their goal of a nuclear weapon. And to be clear, if they achieve a nuclear weapon, they will use it.

Some argue that diplomacy saves American lives and resources, avoiding costly conflicts. But this ignores reality. Appeasement emboldens Iran. When the U.S. eased sanctions, Iran didn’t moderate — it funneled billions into Syria’s war, Yemen’s chaos, and terrorist proxies targeting America and its allies. The regime’s ballistic missile program grew, threatening Israel, global shipping, and beyond. Negotiation doesn’t de-escalate; it escalates, tying America’s hands while Iran grows stronger. A stronger Iran means a greater threat to U.S. security — whether through terrorism, cyberattacks, or, God forbid, a nuclear weapon. Protecting American interests means recognizing that a regime built on anti-Americanism can never be a partner.

I understand the “America First” instinct to avoid foreign entanglements. Many who wave this banner argue that maximum pressure — crippling sanctions, military deterrence, and diplomatic isolation — drains U.S. resources or risks war. But they’re wrong. Maximum pressure isn’t reckless; it’s strategic. It’s essential. It’s the only language the regime understands. When President Trump withdrew from the 2015 JCOPA nuclear deal and imposed harsh sanctions, Iran’s economy buckled. Protests erupted across the country — not just for bread, but for freedom. The regime’s grip weakened, exposing its fragility.

Today, with the Islamic regime’s air defenses crippled, it’s critical to finish the job, for America’s interests and for the world. Maximum pressure doesn’t just protect America; it empowers Iranians to demand change. To abandon it now, as some America First voices suggest, snatches hope from the Iranian people, and security from the U.S. and the world.

Regime change is not a fantasy, it’s a necessity. The Islamic Republic is not Iran. It’s a cancer on a nation of 85 million people who yearn for dignity and democracy. I’ve met countless Iranians, from taxi drivers to students, who despise the mullahs. The 2022 uprising, sparked by Mahsa Amini’s murder, showed the world their courage. Women burned hijabs; men faced bullets. They weren’t begging for reform — they were demanding change. Supporting their fight isn’t meddling; it’s justice.

For Iran, regime change means a chance to rebuild, to restore a proud civilization hijacked by Islamic extremism. For the U.S., it means eliminating a sworn enemy.

Some fear regime change leads to chaos, pointing to Iraq or Libya. But Iran is different. It has a rich history, a strong national identity, and a population educated, ready, and begging for self-governance. The U.S. doesn’t need to invade — it needs to amplify Iranian voices. America must lead by isolating the regime, not legitimizing it with negotiation.

Iranians dream of a free Iran where one can worship as they wish, where women walk unveiled without threats of arrest and torture, where children aren’t indoctrinated to hate. But Iranians are fearful that the negotiations will betray them, again, as was done by Presidents Obama and Biden. If it’s true that negotiations will only limit Iranian uranium enrichment rather than eliminating every element of the Iranian nuclear program and leave the regime in place not just to continue to lie and take advantage of western naiveté, but to rebuild and continue to oppress them, it will be a disastrous failure. A democratic Iran would be an essential partner against extremism, a market for trade, a beacon of stability. Realizing this requires courage, not compromise. Negotiation prolongs the regime’s life and threatens Iranians and the world. Half-measures betray the “America First” promise of strength.

Only maximum pressure, sustained and unrelenting, can pave the way for regime change. And the only hope for that is joining Iranians united behind Prince Reza Pahlavi. This week, thousands of Iranian Americans gathered at the White House to give voice to the millions of Iranians who stand behind them, who know that the Islamic regime is a foreign cancer that must be eliminated, for the sake of Iran, for the sake of the world, and for America, first.

The economy is crumbling, and the Supreme Leader is old and ill. The time is now to end the evil ayatollah’s regime, restore Iran to its people, and keep America and the world safe.

I’ve seen the cost of tyranny in Evin Prison. America needs to stand with Iran’s people, not their oppressors. End the illusion of diplomacy. Embrace the power of pressure. Together, we can topple a regime and build a future where Iran and America thrive as friends, not enemies.

Marziyeh Amirizadeh is an Iranian American who immigrated to the U.S. She is author of two books, public speaker, and columnist.