Iranian dissidents seize on Trump remarks about armed resistance, fueling revival of Reagan doctrine

After President Donald Trump suggested this week that Iranians "would conflict back" if they had weapons, Iranian dissidents, subject analysts and immoderate Republican lawmakers are openly reviving a once-taboo question: should nan West move beyond "maximum pressure" connected Tehran and actively support equipped guidance wrong Iran?

"They person to person guns. And I deliberation they’re getting immoderate guns. As soon arsenic they person guns, they’ll conflict like, arsenic bully arsenic anybody location is," Trump said successful an question and reply pinch "The Hugh Hewitt Show," while discussing anti-regime unrest and nan Iranian government’s crackdown connected protesters.

The comments travel arsenic nan Iranian authorities emerges weakened from weeks of war, while vexation continues to simmer among galore Iranians aft years of grounded protests and convulsive crackdowns by nan Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

LINDSEY GRAHAM URGES US, ISRAEL TO ARM IRANIAN CIVILIANS IN 'SECOND AMENDMENT SOLUTION' TO TOPPLE REGIME

Protesters rally successful Washington, D.C., connected March 7, 2026, supporting authorities alteration successful Iran pursuing U.S. and Israeli strikes that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. (Samuel Corum/Getty Images)

Supporters of a much fierce attack reason sanctions, diplomacy and unarmed demonstrations person grounded to nutrient meaningful alteration wrong Iran and opportunity nan existent infinitesimal whitethorn correspond nan champion opportunity successful decades to situation nan authorities from within. Critics pass that openly discussing equipped guidance could endanger protesters, deepen divisions wrong nan guidance and consequence pushing Iran toward civilian war.

The thought of equipped guidance echoes aspects of nan Reagan Doctrine, nan Cold War-era strategy successful which nan U.S. backed anti-Soviet guidance movements astir nan world, from Afghanistan to Nicaragua.

"We request to springiness Iranians nan devices now, and they’ll decorativeness nan occupation themselves," Brett Velicovich, laminitis of Powerus and a erstwhile U.S. subject and intelligence master focused connected drone warfare, told Fox News Digital.

"It’s their clip to do something. There has ne'er been a amended chance."

AS AIRSTRIKES RAIN DOWN ON THE IRANIAN REGIME, CAN A FRACTURED OPPOSITION UNITE TO LEAD IF IT FALLS?

Smoke and flames emergence astatine an lipid depot successful Tehran aft airstrikes connected March 7, 2026. The United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran connected Feb. 28, starring to Iranian rocket retaliation and accrued concerns astir world power and carrier disruption. (Sasan/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images)

Velicovich described nan strategy arsenic "Reagan Doctrine 2.0," updated for nan property of drones and decentralized warfare.

"Cheap FPV drones, loitering munitions, and mini arms fto motivated fighters move Iran’s streets and mountains into a nightmare for nan IRGC," he said. "This isn’t fantasy; it’s asymmetric warfare that works."

He based on that modern drone exertion has fundamentally changed nan equilibrium betwixt governments and insurgent aliases guidance movements.

"Drones democratize power," Velicovich said. "The regime’s monopoly connected unit ends nan time nan group get eyes successful nan entity and precision onslaught capability."

IRANIAN KURDISH FIGHTERS SAY THEY’RE READY TO STRIKE TEHRAN, WAITING FOR OPENING

Iran is building a decentralized FPV drone capacity successful basement factories utilizing Chinese parts, defense master Cameron Chell warns, citing a imaginable threat to nan U.S. homeland. (Getty)

Still, moreover immoderate critics of nan Iranian authorities be aware that nan comparison to Cold War proxy movements has limits.

Unlike Soviet-controlled Eastern Europe aliases Afghanistan successful nan 1980s, Iran is simply a highly nationalistic state pinch a fragmented guidance and heavy fears of overseas involution pursuing decades of conflict crossed nan Middle East.

Still, calls for much nonstop support for anti-regime forces are progressively moving into mainstream Republican overseas argumentation discussions.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-SC., precocious called for what he described arsenic a "Second Amendment solution" wrong Iran.

"If I were President Trump and I were Israel, I would load nan Iranian group up pinch weapons truthful they could spell to nan streets equipped and move nan tide of conflict wrong Iran," Graham said connected Hannity.

The mobility of who would really person support, however, remains profoundly controversial.

Exiled Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi speaks astatine nan 2023 Women’s Forum hosted by Vital Voices successful Washington, D.C., connected March 29, 2023. (Paul Morigi/Getty Images)

Some guidance supporters proceed to rally astir exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, whose sanction has surfaced during anti-regime protests wrong Iran and who has urged nan world organization not to springiness Tehran "another lifeline."

Another group that has shown successful nan past that it has acted successful various operations against nan regime, is nan arguable People’s Mujahedin Organization of Iran, aliases MEK, which has agelong positioned itself arsenic an organized guidance unit against nan Islamic Republic. The MEK precocious posted videos showing its members targeting "regime centers and symbols of crime and repression," successful consequence to nan execution of 2 of its members past period — Hamed Validi and Mohammad (Nima) Massoum-Shahi.

Others constituent to existing equipped aliases semi-organized anti-regime groups, including Kurdish organizations, Baloch insurgent networks and underground guidance cells operating wrong Iran.

Sardar Pashaei, head of nan Hiwa Foundation and a erstwhile Iranian wrestling champion now surviving successful nan United States, warned that publically discussing arming protesters could itself put lives astatine risk.

"I deliberation we must beryllium highly cautious connected this issue, particularly publicly, because nan authorities tin usage it arsenic a pretext to apprehension protesters, fabricate cases and moreover warrant executions," Pashaei told Fox News Digital.

IRAN'S INTERNET BLACKOUT HIDING STRIKE DAMAGE AND SUPPRESSING DISSENT, ISRAELI OFFICIALS SAY

A female walks crossed a astir quiet nationalist quadrate successful Tehran, Iran, pinch a ample advertisement displaying nan image of nan precocious Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei successful nan inheritance connected March 3, 2026. (Vahid Salemi/AP Photo)

"For decades, nan Islamic Republic has utilized accusations of ties to nan United States, Israel, aliases espionage to target dissidents and governmental prisoners."

Pashaei based on nan amended attack is supporting Iranian civilian society, restoring internet access and backing antiauthoritarian guidance groups that bespeak Iran’s taste and governmental diversity.

The rumor became moreover much delicate aft Trump said during a telephone question and reply pinch Fox News Sunday successful early April that his management had antecedently attempted to nonstop firearms to Iranian protesters done Kurdish channels, though nan effort failed.

IRAN REGIME FACES 'BEGINNING OF THE END' AS EXILED CROWN PRINCE SEES 'GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY'

Men and women clasp Kurdish scarves and roses during Nowruz festivities successful Saqqez, Iran, connected March 15, 2024. The arena took spot successful nan beingness of Jina Amini's begetter arsenic galore successful nan region proceed to grant her legacy. (Barbod Khorshidi/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images)

"We sent guns to nan protesters, a batch of them. We sent them done nan Kurds. And I deliberation nan Kurds took nan guns," Trump said.

Several Kurdish groups person denied receiving specified shipments.

Pashaei warned that claims of overseas weapons support could deepen divisions wrong nan guidance while besides exposing Kurdish groups to further retaliation from Tehran.

"During nan alleged ceasefire period, Kurdish guidance groups were targeted much than 30 times pinch drone and rocket attacks," he said, adding that 4 young Kurdish Peshmerga fighters were killed, including 19-year-old Ghazal Mowlan.

Cars pain successful a thoroughfare during a protestation complete nan illness of nan currency’s worth successful Tehran, Iran, Jan. 8, 2026. (Stringer/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS)

One root acquainted pinch discussions surrounding Iranian guidance strategy said supporters of a much fierce attack progressively judge nan existent infinitesimal presents a uncommon opportunity to identify, train and support section guidance networks tin of protecting protesters and challenging nan authorities from within.

The root based on that while Iran spent decades building and cultivating proxy networks crossed nan Middle East, Western governments mostly avoided investing successful organized anti-regime infrastructure wrong Iran itself.

Others pass that empowering equipped factions could trigger taste fragmentation, civilian warfare aliases a Syria-style conflict wrong Iran.

According to nan source, supporters of a much fierce attack progressively judge nan existent infinitesimal presents a uncommon opportunity to identify, train and support section guidance networks tin of protecting protesters and challenging nan authorities from within.

Whether Washington is consenting to move beyond unit campaigns and sanctions toward thing person to a modernized Reagan Doctrine remains unclear.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Members of information forces watch complete nan crowd during a ceremonial convoy for IRGC Navy Chief Alireza Tangsiri and different elder naval commanders killed successful U.S.-Israeli strikes successful precocious March successful Tehran, Iran, connected April 1, 2026. (Majid Saeedi/Getty Images)

For now, Trump’s comments person pushed a once-theoretical speech into nan open, while some reason nan existent infinitesimal whitethorn correspond nan champion opportunity successful decades to situation nan regime.