Since the November 8 election of Donald Trump, we have seen a mixed reaction in the U.S. concerning expectations for his presidency. Some are hopeful; some are fearful.
The same mixed reaction is true for Iranians.
Iranians Living inside Iran:
- Some are now hopeful that President-Elect Trump will do something to bring down the current regime in Iran. They are even hopeful that an Iranian regime change during the Trump presidency will allow a democratic, secular government to come into power.
- Some, though, are fearful that Trump will cause a military attack on Iran during his presidency. They do not want war. They have seen the result of the American-led military offensive in Iraq and Afghanistan, and they do not want that.
Iranian Refugees and Those Iranians with Families in the US:
- Like their fellow Iranians above, refugees are also hopeful that Trump will cause a regime change in Iran, specifically so that they—or family members living abroad—can return to Iran and reunite.
- At the same time, many are fearful that Trump’s proposed policies will make it harder for Iranian refugees to come to the U.S. or even for Iranians to come as tourists to visit their family members already living here.
Many of these hopes and fears involve complicated political processes and global partnerships, and so the uncertainty depends on much more than one man’s administration, even the administration of the person often called the most powerful man on the planet. Like the Americans, Iranians will have to wait and see how President Trump gathers policy support and conducts his first year in office—maybe even just his first 100 days—to have a better idea how his administrative actions will match with his election promises.
For the Iranian government, however, the concerns are more immediate and clear.
Iranian Regime:
- They are fearful that the recently removed sanctions will return. Sanctions will weaken the Iranian government and limit its financial resources. Iran will not be able to continue its activities in Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen as before. Sanctions will also reduce Iran’s ability to fund terrorism around the world.
- Iran’s government is afraid that, with the United States’ consent, Israel will attack Iran’s nuclear sites to stop the development of the nuclear bomb.
- They are fearful that, after his inauguration, President-Elect Trump will cancel the nuclear agreement—at least as far as the U.S. is concerned. Iran considers that deal a great victory for their side. Without giving up much, they gained a lot. They consider the Obama administration naïve to agree to the nuclear deal and fear they will be unable to stage and perform the same negotiation show with Trump.
The Most Powerful Man on the Planet
Yes, the world waits anxiously to see how the next four years will alter regimes, foreign policies, and the balance of power. But one thing I know to be certain and unchanging: the most powerful man on the planet is not the president of the United States. The most powerful man is the Lord Jesus Christ. And He is toppling regimes that have held strong for fourteen centuries.
The face of Iran is changing as Jesus makes Himself known to Muslims and as they receive His love. He has the power to change lives in a way that neither the Ayatollah nor the President of the United States could ever prevent or copy. And He is providing to Muslims something they have never had before: a certain hope for their future.
Will you pray with me that even more Muslims will come to know Jesus as their savior in the next four years than ever before? Iran is the gateway to the Middle East. Once Iran is transformed by the Gospel, the whole Middle East will be impacted.
I thank you for your concern for Iran and its people—a people God loves just as much as you and me.
Related articles:
Solomon, Jay. “Trump Faces Battle to Undo Iran Nuclear Deal.” Wall Street Journal, November 11, 2016, sec. Politics. http://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-faces-battle-to-undo-iran-nuclear-deal-1478860207.