Why US intervention in Iran would be a mistake

Iran’s recent protests stem from deep socio-economic distress caused by long-term Western sanctions, inflation, currency devaluation, governance failures, and unmet aspirations of a highly educated youth, compounded by social media–driven disinformation and external pressure. The article argues that US-led intervention or regime-change efforts would repeat past disasters such as Libya, lacking any credible “day-after” plan and risking regional chaos, wider conflict, and further suffering for ordinary Iranians. With Iran’s security institutions largely intact and regional powers opposing military action, the author contends that reform, de-escalation, and diplomacy—not coercion—offer the only viable path to stability, with major implications for regional security and India’s strategic interests.