Iranian refugee Maysam Sabitian tells Trump to pursue regime change in Tehran, citing limits of negotiation

An Iranian refugee and longtime dissident, Maysam Sabitian, urged President Donald Trump to abandon negotiations with Iran and instead pursue what she described as full-scale efforts to overthrow the Tehran government, arguing that talks cannot succeed with the country’s hardline leadership. Speaking in remarks highlighted by The Washington Times on Aug. 20, Sabitian said “you cannot negotiate with these people,” and called for major changes in U.S. approach aimed at breaking the regime’s ability to carry out internal repression and external threats.

Sabitian’s comments argued that the time for incremental engagement is over, describing Iran’s military and security command structure as a central lever for influencing the regime’s stability. She urged the Trump administration to consider measures she said would remove senior hardline commanders, framing such steps as a practical way to reduce the regime’s capacity to suppress opponents and sustain its course.

The dissident also pressed for a diplomatic shift, calling for the Trump administration to grant recognition to an exiled government she supports as part of a transition away from the current Tehran authorities. She presented recognition, in her view, as a way to organize international and domestic support for an alternative leadership structure if the regime begins to falter, rather than relying on talks that she said repeatedly yield delay.

Sabitian further called for support for Iranian dissidents, including measures she characterized as arming or equipping opponents as a means of accelerating the overthrow process. Her remarks tied these ideas to a broader claim that Iran’s internal opposition must be empowered directly, not only encouraged through statements or limited humanitarian or cultural outreach.

In the The Washington Times account of Sabitian’s remarks, she urged Trump to “rip the Band-Aid off” and move decisively, describing U.S. restraint as a factor that has allowed the Iranian leadership to adapt while opponents remain vulnerable. The thrust of her argument was that the regime’s security apparatus will continue to resist pressure unless the United States applies pressure in ways she described as more immediate and operational.

The comments arrive against a backdrop of heightened international attention to Iran’s internal politics and security posture, as well as longstanding debate over whether U.S.-Iran engagement can reduce risk. However, the report on Sabitian focuses on her views rather than announcing any new U.S. policy decision, and it does not provide confirmed details about any specific actions by the Trump administration tied to her proposals.

U.S. officials have typically treated efforts to counter Iran’s influence as a mix of diplomacy, sanctions, and security-related measures, with any move toward recognizing an exiled leadership or overtly arming internal opponents likely to require complex interagency review and legal analysis. Whether Sabitian’s calls influence policymaking would depend on how senior officials interpret her arguments, the evidence they weigh about Iran’s command structure, and constraints under U.S. law and international obligations.

For now, the immediate development is the public push by Sabitian for a harsher and more direct strategy, including recognition for an exiled entity and support for dissident forces. The next steps, if any, would come through official U.S. channels, including public statements, policy directives, or coordination with allies, rather than through dissident advocacy alone.