In recent days, a bewildering scene has unfolded in the United States and Canada: protesters openly support Iran's aggressive actions against Israe (See here an example from Canada) l. These demonstrations, predominantly led by a coalition of Islamist and radical leftist factions, are particularly perplexing given these latter groups' professed commitment to human rights.
Similarly, as in the perplexing support for Hamas in the West, Iran should have been a focal point of condemnation rather than support by Western human rights organizations. The Iranian regime's track record is troubling — it executes homosexuals and political dissenters, while women's rights remain severely compromised, among others. Research indeed indicates a general lack of sympathy for Iran within leftist circles.
The pivot in sentiment can be traced back to the U.S. withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal during the Trump administration, viewed by many on the left as a cardinal sin. This perspective, combined with the U.S.'s unwavering support for Israel during the war, has fostered a growing sympathy for Iran among certain "human rights" activists..
Further complicating matters is the "Red-Green Alliance," an informal collaboration between Western leftists and Islamist groups. A recent thawing of relations between Sunni political Islam and Iran's Shia leadership has influenced the agendas of organizations associated with the Muslim Brotherhood in the West. This alliance has resulted in a softening of criticism towards Iran. For instance, many on the American left believe that Iran poses no threat to U.S. national security, and some even argued before the conflict that Iran was not a threat to Israel. U.S. Senator Chris Murphy, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Foreign Relations, has even publicly stated that Iranian missiles were not aimed at Israel.
What is ultimately created is a pincer movement that is primarily dangerous for the USA itself. On one hand, Iran is part of a group of countries, including China and Russia, that challenge the world order led by the USA. On the other hand, within the US itself, progressive organizations challenge the entire social and political structure and advance an agenda that undermines meritocracy and all the pillars that have made the US a global leader. In future history books that discuss the dynamics that threatened American hegemony, it will be noted how these two distinct trends complemented each other and posed a genuine risk to the USA and the entire Western world, a dynamic "defund world order", or "Marg bar America".
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