For decades, the Islamic Republic has cast a long shadow over the Middle East, fueling proxy wars, pursuing nuclear weapons, and exporting terror across the region. For Israelis and Jews worldwide, “Iran” has become synonymous with an existential threat. Yet beneath the hateful rhetoric of a regime that chants “Death to Israel” lies a vibrant, courageous nation of millions who are chanting something entirely different: “Woman, Life, Freedom.”
As Jews and as Israelis, we are a people defined by memory. We know the bitter sting of being forsaken by the world in our darkest hours. We know what it means to stand alone against an ideology that seeks our annihilation. It is precisely because of this history that we have a moral and strategic imperative to stand firmly alongside the Iranian people in their struggle for liberation.
The Limits of Military Might
The current military campaigns - essential as they may be for immediate defense - can only achieve so much. They can degrade capabilities and delay threats, but they cannot forge a durable peace. Real, tectonic change in the Middle East will not come from the cockpit of a fighter jet; it will come from the streets of Tehran, Isfahan, and Shiraz.
Regime change is the only path to ridding the world of this clerical tyranny. But let us be clear: this change cannot be imposed from the outside. It must be won by the Iranians themselves. Only they can transform the region’s most dangerous enemy into its greatest potential ally.
A Legacy of Bravery
The Iranian people have already proven their resolve. Over the last few years, they have faced live ammunition, systematic torture, and public executions with nothing but their voices and their courage. They have suffered hundreds of thousands of casualties - lives cut short by a regime that fears its own youth more than any foreign army.
And yet, despite the silence of the international community, their message to the world remains clear: “Help us, and we will finish the job.”
Sadly, much of the world has looked away. European nations have often prioritized trade and “stability” over the human rights of Iranians. Many Gulf neighbors have, at various times, opted for cautious détente rather than supporting the aspirations of the Iranian street and taking a chance on a safer future for themselves as well. We must not follow their lead. We must not be the ones who turn our backs when the call for freedom is loudest.
Our Moral and Strategic Duty
When the next wave of protests inevitably breaks, we must be ready. Standing with Iran is not just a gesture of goodwill; it is a fight for our collective future. A free, secular, and democratic Iran would fundamentally rewrite the map of the Middle East, ending the “ring of fire” surrounding Israel and ushering in an era of unprecedented regional cooperation and stability.
Supporting them means more than just hashtags. It means providing the technological tools to bypass state-mandated internet blackouts, offering humanitarian and civilian aid through the diplomatic and intelligence channels uniquely available to Israel, and using our diplomatic capital to ensure their voices are heard in the halls of power.
We have the means to provide significant support today in ways we never could before. To remain indifferent is to betray our own values. We were once a people forsaken; let it never be said that we foresaw the suffering of others and did nothing.
The Iranian people are ready to claim their future. It is our duty to ensure they do not walk that path alone.
Yifa Segal, Esq., is an expert in international law and international relations. Segal is the Managing Director of Hetz and former Chair & CEO of the International Legal Forum.
This op-ed is published in partnership with a coalition of organizations that fight antisemitism across the world. Read the previous article by Aviram Bellaishe.