For freedom fighters, it’s lonely outside. This is a line from the Gatestone Institute, a neoconservative think tank, which declares, presumably with a straight face:
While other countries remained silent, hesitant, or complicit in inaction, the United States and Israel chose the only path to restore stability, open the door to freedom, and protect innocent lives.
God bless the United States and Israel, and President Donald J. Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the only courageous leaders standing up against this regime of terror. Anyone who values freedom should immediately join them.
But the two countries are not aligned — at least not in the way Washington and Tel Aviv had hoped.
The plan/hope was for Iran’s ethnic minorities to also take part in the fighting and provide the necessary “on-the-ground operations.” So far, that hasn’t happened (more on that below). Perhaps that’s why there are more reports about the US advance.
The Gatestone Institute article depicting mass murderers as freedom fighters defending the innocent may be incredibly funny, and American spies may already be “covering their butts” as war with Iran becomes increasingly likely to be an earth-shaking catastrophe, but neocon think tanks in the United States and Israeli media have been writing for years about the fantasy of exploiting supposed divisions within Iran to topple the “regime.”
What they have in common is the recognition that airstrikes alone will not succeed, that the exiled elite supporting the Shah’s son is worthless, and that support from the Iranian minority inside Iran is needed. Here are some recent examples.
“Do the Kurds and Baluch have a plan in the wake of Israel’s blow to the Iranian regime?” by Zionist Middle East Forum:
But without preparation, this opportunity means little. Resistance is not the only strategy. If Kurds and Baluchs want to influence the shape of a post-Islamic Republic of Iran or secure autonomy or independence, they must unite their political front, coordinate across ideological lines, and present a clear and coherent plan for autonomy, territorial security, and international engagement.
The Iranian government has long exploited fragmentation. It’s time to fix that. A united front, even if temporarily and tactically aligned rather than ideologically unified, can tip the balance. It would demonstrate to the Iranian government and the international community that these groups are ready not only to resist but to govern. The window is narrow. Without a roadmap, others, less organized and inclusive, will shape the future. Organizations are no longer arbitrary; they exist. Without political planning and organized leadership, no amount of street protest or armed resistance can bring about lasting change.
The burden of completing what a foreign power could not begin otherwise lies on the shoulders of Iran’s ethnic minorities. The foundations of the government are shaking. The question is no longer whether we will fail, but who is prepared to shape what comes next.
The Jerusalem Post offered a blueprint in a June editorial titled, “President Trump must help Israel complete the job of dismantling the Khamenei regime.”
Accept regime change as a policy. Iran’s leadership has shown time and time again that its ideology is essential to deterrence. Military attacks only feed the propaganda. It should publicly declare that Khamenei’s Islamic Republic is a lawless regime and its removal is a strategic goal of the United States.
Sharpen economic warfare with knife-like precision. Existing sanctions need to be strengthened to target all sources of income that support the regime. It freezes all assets associated with the Revolutionary Guards and its Quds Force, sanctions the Central Bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and imposes secondary sanctions on foreign banks and companies doing business with Tehran.
Step up covert operations inside Iran. If Iran welcomes violence, it should let the fight start at home. Extend cyberattacks to disable the IRGC’s command and control network, disrupt missile guidance systems, and interfere with nuclear control software.
We will designate the Revolutionary Guards as a foreign terrorist organization and relentlessly pursue its global network. It forces banks around the world to choose between processing dollar transactions or facilitating money laundering by the Revolutionary Guards.
Project overwhelming military readiness. The US carrier strike group will move into the Persian Gulf, prepositioning Aegis warships in the Arabian Sea and deploying long-range bombers to deter Iranian retaliation.
Forming a Middle East coalition to partition Iran. Recognizes that Khamenei’s theocracy cannot be reformed and encourages long-term plans to federalize or partition Iran. Provide security to Sunni, Kurdish, and Baloch minority areas willing to secession.
The six-step program is almost there, except for the last one, which is a pretty big stumbling block.
As Curro Jimenez recently pointed out in a University of North Carolina post, there is support for some reforms in Iran, but it is far from an armed uprising. And who in their right mind could believe that the American and Israeli genocidal would bring them a better life?
No wonder this hopeful minority uprising has not occurred in Iran. Take a look at some of our latest efforts to kickstart
Kurdish?
One of the most famous maneuvers in recent memory is stuck in neutral. Washington and Tel Aviv prefer transparent head fakes, so it’s difficult to eliminate them completely, but for now the whole pipe dream is officially suspended.
So for the past few days, we’ve had a constant message that the Kurds are about to launch or have already carried out an invasion of Iran, and yesterday President Trump publicly encouraged the Kurds to do so…and now the whole narrative has collapsed. ⬇️
Actually, I don’t think this is fake – Iran seems to be doing that… pic.twitter.com/Fg2hyTi90G
— Armchair Warlord (@ArmchairW) March 8, 2026
Understandably, the Kurdish militias wanted guarantees that they would never be left out to dry again (what’s the point of such a promise?) and demanded that the US establish a no-fly zone over the areas they occupied.
Burhan NS Jaff writes that joining the US-Israel alliance would mean complete destruction for the Kurds throughout the region, yet concludes that it is a difficult decision.
This time should be different. This time, Kurds must not become fuel for others’ fires. This time, they must demand a seat at the table not as agents, but as partners. Not as mercenaries, but as a nation. Bombs are falling on Tehran. The old order is dying. What happens next is unknown. But one thing is certain: whatever new Middle East emerges from this chaos, it must include the Kurds…
Borders are open. An offer is being made. A trap has been set. The question is whether the Kurds will set foot there, or whether they will finally find their own path after many years. For the sake of my children, and for all the young warriors I once marched with in the mountains, I hope they made wise choices. They waited a century. They can wait a little longer for the right moment. But they can’t wait forever. And they can’t afford to make the wrong choice now.
What about the Azeris?
The Azerbaijani government is certainly doing its part to stir up trouble.
🚨🇦🇿🇮🇷 Azerbaijan blew up the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline, attacked the Israeli embassy in Baku, and thwarted a Revolutionary Guard plot to attack Jewish targets.
Several suspects were arrested and three explosives were seized.pic.twitter.com/OGr4avnWoz https://t.co/yiRHG4vHzm
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) March 6, 2026
Tehran denies these charges and warns Baku:
🇮🇷 Two high-level warnings from Iranian officials to 🇦🇿#Azerbaijan:
– “No problem” #AzerbaijanBut if any plot or flight against Iran emanates from that country, we will respond. ”
Secretary Ali Larijani #IranSupreme National Security Council.
– “To prevent…
— Yeghia Tashjian /يغيا/ 🇱🇧🇦🇲 (@yeghig) March 7, 2026
Is Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev crazy enough to get directly involved?
The story suggests that Azerbaijan will join the US-Israel alliance. Baku will sacrifice its entire energy industry and be attacked by missiles and drones.
However, since Iran imports electricity from Azerbaijan, it would also be costly for Iran.
Azerbaijanis… https://t.co/JC2CkXIt4P
— Patricia Mullins (@pati_marins64) March 6, 2026
Aliyev’s war rhetoric against Iran is not surprising. What is frightening is the use of the possibility of a false flag attack as a pretext for escalation.
If Iran attacks Baku with drones, the corresponding response will be a drone response, not mobilizing troops for a ground possibility…
— Kevork Almassian (@KevorkAlmassian) March 7, 2026
Most likely he is trying to encourage Azerbaijanis in Iran to “stand up”.
Will Aliyev fan the flames of separatism?
“The independent state of Azerbaijan is also a place of hope for many Azerbaijanis living in Iran.” pic.twitter.com/6eoRAd6v8X
— HovhanNazrechan (@HovhanNaz) March 5, 2026
The US and Israel are certainly motivated to make it appear as if the Kurds and Azerbaijan are going to join the fight. The hope is that it will lead to the Iranian government’s crackdown on Kurds and Azerbaijanis, thereby leading to the resistance movement they hope to see. As a result, we see many unsubstantiated and suspicious reports such as:
“Israel’s assessment suggests that Azerbaijan will also join the offensive coalition against Iran. Additional countries may join in actions against Iran and its regional interests.” —Israel Public Broadcasting Corporation @kann https://t.co/0GNMoDw1f2
— HovhanNazrechan (@HovhanNaz) March 6, 2026
I don’t believe a word of this https://t.co/yqeyxXGOAV
— Sopo Japaridze (@sopjap) March 6, 2026
Azerbaijan vs Kurds?
This is new, and perhaps a sign of growing desperation, as I have yet to see any reports that Iran took the bait and began an overly harsh crackdown on Azerbaijani and Kurdish populations (Iran has attacked parts of Iraq that are said to be the scene of a Kurdish/US invasion, and has promised to continue to do so). Now we are trying to sow the seeds of division between Azerbaijanis and Kurds in Iran.
Either the Iranian authorities or those who leaked this information are trying to start a racial war between Azerbaijan and the Kurds. https://t.co/jyip8N0lv8
— Matthew Petty (@matthew_petti) March 7, 2026
Barokisu? Anyone?
We’ve seen that front take a dire turn for the US and Israel alike:
🔴⚡ A tribesman from Iran’s Balochistan province says:
“We make a living from smuggling, and our rifles were once pointed at the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
But after the war America and Israel waged against us, everything changed…
Today our rifle… pic.twitter.com/cMjzlgx1So
— GPX (@GPX_Press) March 6, 2026
If the United States and Israel were successful in causing the collapse of the Iranian government through assassinations and terrorist activities, many of these actors might not hesitate to go to war the moment they believe that Iran has collapsed and cannot do them any significant harm.
Even if the United States and Israel were getting their tails kicked throughout the region, fighting between ethnic minorities and militias could succeed in balkanizing Iran. As neoconservative and Zionist forces have previously acknowledged, this was a necessary step to realize their dreams of victory.
