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Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has issued a direct appeal to the American public, asserting that the government of President Donald Trump “must be changed” and urging voters to reclaim control of their political system ahead of the midterm elections. The open letter, released on Tuesday and addressed to “the honorable people of the United States of America,” represents one of Tehran’s most explicit attempts yet to influence American political discourse as the war between the two countries approaches its eighth month.
The timing of the message is significant. It arrives just five weeks before U.S. midterm elections and one day after the U.S.-Israel military campaign against Iran reached its seven-month mark, a milestone that has brought renewed scrutiny to the conflict’s costs and trajectory. The IRGC framed the current moment as a rare opening, stating that “now is the time, as the American political system is at its weakest.”
In the letter, the IRGC accuses the Trump administration of systematically misleading the American people about multiple aspects of the war, including the state of Iran’s nuclear program and the question of who effectively controls the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway through which a substantial share of global oil and fertilizer trade passes. The document declares Iran the victor in the conflict, arguing that the United States and Israel have failed to achieve any of their stated military objectives.
The letter offers a detailed critique of the air campaign, noting that the two allies “expended thousands of bombs and missiles, striking government and residential buildings, dozens of less-advanced and lower-tier weapons-manufacturing facilities, and a number of decommissioned military installations.” Despite this extensive bombardment, the IRGC contends that “aside from damaging several buildings tied to Iran’s nuclear industry and a limited number of air-defense sites, they failed to achieve any of their declared objectives.”
A central theme of the message is an attempt to separate the American people from their government. The letter argues that “the nations of Iran and America are both, each in their own way, victims” of corrupt politicians in Washington, adding that “we share the same pain.” This framing appears designed to appeal to American voters who may be weary of a prolonged and costly war, and to encourage them to pressure their representatives to change course.
The letter also addresses the controversial “Death to America” slogan that has long featured in Iranian political rallies, offering an unusual clarification. According to the IRGC, the phrase is “a prayer for the eradication of the diabolical ruling elite whose seat of power is the White House,” rather than a call for harm against ordinary Americans. This explanation is unlikely to persuade many in Washington, but it signals Tehran’s awareness of how such rhetoric is perceived in the United States.
IRGC spokesperson Hossein Mohebbi reinforced the letter’s message during a press conference in Tehran on Tuesday, calling Trump an “inveterate liar” who tells Americans “big lies” while in office. Mohebbi argued that U.S. citizens are largely unaware of the true consequences of the administration’s campaign. “I feel that the American people are unaware of this reality,” he told reporters. “If they were aware of these realities, they would definitely think differently, and they would definitely put pressure on their administration.”
Al Jazeera reached out to the White House for comment but had not received a response by the time of publication. The lack of an immediate reply is not unusual, but it leaves the administration’s perspective on the IRGC’s claims unaddressed for now.
The letter and Mohebbi’s remarks come amid ongoing diplomatic maneuvering. Both U.S. and Iranian officials spoke separately with mediators on Monday as part of renewed efforts to bring the war to an end. Tehran said a day earlier that diplomacy was the only viable path to resolving the conflict. However, Trump struck a more aggressive tone during his address to the United Nations General Assembly last week, openly weighing whether to “annihilate” Iran.
“I have a big decision to make,” Trump said. “Will a deal be made with Iran that lets them rebuild and create a far greater country than it ever was before, maybe one of the greatest in the Middle East or even the world? Or do I annihilate the Islamic Republic and do it quickly?” He speculated that a deal might arise “right after the elections,” suggesting that domestic political considerations are weighing heavily on his calculations.
The IRGC’s letter is not Iran’s first attempt to reach American audiences directly. Since the war began on February 28, Iran-linked media and online networks have used artificial intelligence to generate Lego-themed videos, memes, and other short-form content in English to promote Tehran’s narrative about the conflict. These efforts reflect a broader strategy of leveraging social media and emerging technologies to shape public opinion in the United States, particularly among younger voters who consume news primarily online.
One of the most contentious points in the letter concerns the Strait of Hormuz. Mohebbi pushed back against U.S. assertions that Iran has lost much of its leverage over the waterway. Since the start of the war, Iran has restricted traffic through the strait, and the United States has responded with a blockade. “The fact that the Americans might manage, at great expense, considerable trouble and high risk to sneak a small vessel through the Strait of Hormuz under cover of darkness … does not mean the Strait is open,” Mohebbi said.
Yet data from Kpler, a trade analytics firm, suggests that oil exports through the strait have been recovering, averaging about 13.2 million barrels per day over the past week, roughly 77 percent of their pre-war level. This discrepancy between Iranian rhetoric and market data underscores the complexity of the situation and the difficulty of assessing the true state of the conflict from either side’s public statements.
Trump has repeatedly argued that Iran is “losing badly” and recently dismissed an Iranian proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz as “unacceptable.” The gap between the two sides’ public positions remains wide, even as mediators work to bridge differences behind the scenes.
For American voters, the IRGC’s direct appeal raises uncomfortable questions about the war’s progress, its costs, and the accuracy of official statements from Washington. Whether the letter will influence the midterm elections is uncertain, but it adds a new dimension to an already charged political environment. The Trump administration has consistently portrayed the campaign as necessary to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, a goal Tehran denies pursuing. Iran insists its uranium enrichment program is for civilian energy purposes and has accused Trump of lying about its intentions.
As the war approaches the eight-month mark, the human and economic toll continues to mount. Iranians have reportedly been stocking up on food and medicine amid fears of renewed fighting, while global energy markets remain sensitive to any disruption in the Strait of Hormuz. The IRGC’s letter, whatever its immediate political impact, reflects Tehran’s calculation that American public opinion may be its most effective lever in ending a conflict it claims to be winning.
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