Members of the Iranian diaspora are urging the Trump administration to maintain a firm stance in ongoing peace talks, warning that the recent memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Iran risks empowering a regime with a documented history of deception and repression.
The 14-point MOU, signed last week, ended hostilities and initiated a 60-day period for broader negotiations focused on Iran's nuclear program and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. However, critics argue that this agreement provides the Islamic Republic with a significant advantage it could not achieve militarily.
"This agreement hands Iran a victory it could never win on the battlefield, just as Hamas and Hezbollah have repeatedly used ceasefires, not as peace, but as leverage to attack again," stated Pedram Bral, the Republican Mayor of Great Neck, Long Island, who is of Iranian descent. Bral cautioned against allowing the Iranian regime to exploit the situation. The fragile peace was tested shortly after the MOU's signing when Iran reportedly attacked a Singaporean cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz.
Babak Khodaparast, an entrepreneur born in Isfahan and now based in Canada, expressed disappointment, feeling that the Trump administration had previously aligned itself with the Iranian people rather than the regime. "I feel trust in the United States has been broken," Khodaparast said. "It brings me back to the view that Israel is [the Iranian people’s] only true friend, a relationship rooted in decades of history. The US has never fully understood the region, while Israel has lived with these realities and knows the players far better."
Several interviewees raised concerns that the state-to-state negotiations, which notably excluded Israel, overlooked the plight and aspirations of ordinary Iranians. Maryam Banihashemi, a women's rights advocate living in Switzerland, described the exclusion of the Iranian people from these discussions as "deeply disappointing." She added, "If policymakers had truly done their homework and understood who they were dealing with, they would not see any form of engagement with the Islamic Republic as a viable path to long-term stability, security or even economic interests, which appear to be a central driver behind this MOU and the negotiation process."
Gazelle Sharmahd, whose father was executed by the Iranian regime in 2024, characterized the deal as an agreement between the United States and an "occupying force." "There is no deal between the United States and Iran," Sharmahd asserted. "There is only a deal between the United States and the ayatollahs – an Arab Islamist occupation force that has spent nearly half a century waging war against its biggest enemy: the Iranian nation."
Sharmahd emphasized the lack of Iranian representation in the negotiations, stating, "Not a single Iranian is represented in these negotiations. Not a single Iranian is mentioned in the deal. This MOU represents the financing of an occupying force with the stolen assets of the nation it subjugates. Iranians are not subjects – they are sovereign and no one can sideline them to make deals with their killers."
However, not all voices from the Iranian diaspora were entirely dismissive of diplomacy. Betty Emamian, a community activist, expressed "cautious hope" regarding the negotiations but stressed that human rights should not be compromised for diplomatic progress or economic gain. "Diplomacy can be a path to reducing tensions, but there are concerns human rights and accountability for past and ongoing abuses will be sidelined," she noted.
Emamian also highlighted the disillusionment felt by many Iranians who had been encouraged to seek change, only to feel abandoned, particularly when internet shutdowns isolated them during periods of unrest. Amnesty International reports that in recent months, Iranian authorities have used the cover of war to execute dozens of political dissidents and arbitrarily arrest at least 6,000 more, including journalists, lawyers, and human rights advocates.
Simon Michael Aslanpour, an Assyrian Christian who left Iran in 1999, believes negotiations are acceptable if they yield tangible benefits for ordinary Iranians. "I support inclusive diplomacy that protects civilians and respects Iran’s sovereignty, and I hope negotiations bring sanctions relief, better economic opportunities for Iranians and more cultural and academic exchanges," said Aslanpour, who is involved with the Log Cabin Republicans of Dallas.
Despite his criticisms, Bral remains hopeful that the Trump administration has a strategic plan. "Unless President Trump is employing the same bait-and-switch strategy that Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah have used for decades, signing agreements with counterparts who have no intention of honoring them is a serious mistake," Bral said. "I hope there is a deeper plan behind what is being put on the table."