A Fox News Live segment on January 1 highlighted swelling unrest inside Iran as protesters pour into the streets over soaring food prices and economic collapse, and national security voices on the panel warned Tehran it cannot ignore this pressure. Rebeccah Heinrichs and Jamil Jaffer told viewers the regime needs to get its house in order or face mounting instability that could reshape the region.
The demonstrations are not a spontaneous blip but a clear signal that ordinary Iranians are fed up with a kleptocratic leadership that has long prioritized proxy wars over citizens’ livelihoods. Heinrichs and Jaffer argued that the U.S. should recognize the opportunity in this unrest and stop treating the mullahs as permanent fixtures; failing to do so is to reward repression and embolden Tehran’s export of terror.
Jamil Jaffer has been blunt that recent strikes and pressure on the regime create an opening for internal dissent to gain traction, and that smart Western policy would magnify those cracks rather than paper them over. Conservatives who have long warned about Iran’s malign behavior should welcome any development that weakens the regime’s ability to bankroll Hamas and Hezbollah.
At the same time, experts on Fox warned that Israel will not tolerate threats to its citizens forever, and that Hamas faces the prospect of decisive Israeli action if it continues its campaign of terrorism. The reality is simple: when a sworn enemy refuses to be deterred, it invites the hard medicine of self-defense, and allies must be clear-eyed in their support for those who fight for survival.
It is infuriating to watch the Biden administration fumble nuance while the world burns, repeatedly urging restraint at moments when strength would better preserve peace. As Heinrichs has argued before, U.S. policy should be calibrated to complicate Tehran’s calculations and back partners who actually defend civilization, not lecture those on the front lines to stand down.
American policymakers must stop acting as neutral referees in a battle between tyranny and liberty and start using every tool—diplomatic, economic, and where appropriate, military—to shrink Iran’s capacity for mischief. Weakness is a magnet for aggression; showing resolute support for Israel and for Iranian citizens seeking freedom is the surest path to regional stability.
This moment demands clarity and conviction from leaders in Washington. The protests in Tehran and the hardening resolve in Jerusalem are connected strands of the same story: nations and peoples forced to choose between cowardice and courage. Our country should be on the side of courage, standing firmly with allies and amplifying the voices of those who dare to demand a better future.
