In an apparent reaction to the policies of US President Donald Trump, Iran appears to be in the grip of rising nationalism amid signs of an effort to forge internal political reconciliation. Rather than solely seeking to topple the Islamic Republic, the United States and its regional allies are now perceived as pursuing the dismemberment of Iran.
Abdollah Ramezanzadeh, who previously served as government spokesman under Reformist President Mohammad Khatami, tweeted May 9, “[Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed] Bin Salman, [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu and Trump’s issue with Iran is beyond the political system. Their [problem] is a great country named Iran.” Ramezanzadeh, who is Kurdish, has long advocated for ethnic minority rights and was arrested in the aftermath of the disputed 2009 presidential elections.