SA Iranian Group Backs US-Israel Military Action, Calls for Regime Change in Tehran
- A South African-based Iranian group has publicly backed US and Israeli military action against Tehran’s Islamic regime, calling it a step toward liberation
- The organisation claims many Iranians view “Operation Lions Roar” as an opportunity to end decades of repression and regional destabilisation
- It has also urged the South African government to reconsider its diplomatic stance and show solidarity with Iranians seeking democratic change
Source: Getty Images
SOUTH AFRICA -A group representing members of the Iranian community in South Africa has publicly endorsed ongoing United States and Israeli military action against Iran’s Islamic regime, describing it as a long-awaited opportunity for liberation.
Responding to the launch of “Operation Lions Roar,” the group said the strikes are directed at the ruling establishment in Tehran, not at the Iranian people.
Briefly News spoke to Shervin Ghorbani, a member of the group, who argued that many citizens inside Iran, as well as those in the diaspora, view the intervention as a chance to free themselves from what they describe as an oppressive and deadly government.
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“This is one of the few attacks on Iran that segments of the population welcome,” he said.
Historical ties with Israel
Ghorbani emphasised what he described as a deep historical bond between Iran and Israel, tracing relations back more than 2,500 years to Cyrus the Great, the Persian ruler credited with allowing the Jewish people to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their Temple.
He also referenced the era of Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, when Iran and Israel maintained diplomatic and strategic relations before the 1979 Islamic Revolution. According to the group, Iran was among the first nations in the region to recognise the State of Israel, with cooperation spanning trade, agriculture, medicine, and security.
He further argued that the Islamic Republic replaced a modernising state with one singularly focused on hostility toward Israel.
“That Iran was stolen in 1979.”
Accusations against the Islamic regime
Ghorbani accused the Iranian government of pouring national wealth into funding proxy groups and destabilising the region while neglecting the needs of its own citizens. He said that instead of investing in schools, hospitals, and economic growth, the regime prioritised ideological warfare and anti-Israel rhetoric.
"This same regime has shown unspeakable cruelty toward its own people. Peaceful protesters - women, students, workers - have been massacred, beaten and imprisoned for demanding basic freedoms. The world has witnessed young Iranians executed or silenced simply for raising their voices.'
Ghorbani argues that the first duty of a government is to protect the lives of its civilians; however, Iranians, who are resilient and patriotic, find themselves having to fight against their own government.
Support for US and Israeli forces
While expressing concern for civilian safety, the group thanked the United States and Israel for confronting a regime that has threatened regional stability for 47 years. Ghorbani voiced support for the Israel Defence Forces and American servicemen involved in the operation.
The group said many Iranians would welcome assistance from any country willing to help free them from authoritarian rule and support the rebuilding of a democratic, citizen-friendly state.
“Let it be clear: the Islamic regime does not represent the Iranian people. Millions of Iranians, inside the country and across the diaspora, have long hoped that the free world would confront this threat — not only for Israel’s safety, but for Iran’s liberation,” Ghorbani added.
Call to the South African government
The organisation also urged the South African government to reconsider its diplomatic posture toward Tehran. Drawing parallels with South Africa’s own struggle against apartheid, it called on Pretoria to adopt an empathetic stance toward Iranians seeking freedom.
It argued that tensions between South Africa and the United States should not overshadow what it views as a moral responsibility to support oppressed populations.
“Any government should be there to protect and serve its people,” Ghorbani said.
Vision for a post-regime Iran
Looking ahead, the group expressed hope for a democratic transition supported by its “chosen leader,” Reza Pahlavi. It called for the drafting of a new democratic constitution and suggested that South Africa, known for its post-apartheid constitutional framework, could lend expertise in shaping a future Iranian democracy.
The statement concluded by envisioning an Iran restored to its people, Israel secure within its borders, and a renewed partnership between two ancient nations.
“May Iran be free. May Israel be safe. May peace prevail.”
Source: Getty Images
Articles on the US-Israel military strike on Iran
- Previously, Briefly News reported that President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for urgent dialogue and maximum restraint amid escalating tensions in the Middle East. He stressed that anticipatory self-defence is not permitted under the United Nations Charter and urged all parties to comply with international law.
- South Africans stranded in Dubai and Abu Dhabi are calling on the government to urgently intervene after major Middle Eastern airports were shut following US and Israeli strikes on Iran and Tehran’s retaliation.
- Iran's state media confirmed the death of the country's Supreme Leader Ali Hosseini Khamenei. Ayatollah Khamenei, born in 1939, has served as the country's supreme leader since 1989. He was declared deceased following the attack on the country by the United States of America and Iran.
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Source: Briefly News
