'He hoped Trump's help would arrive': why protesters in Iran feel betrayed [View all]

[Eugene]

Source: The Guardian

‘He hoped Trump’s help would arrive’: why protesters in Iran feel betrayed

Many believed a US president would – for the first time – rescue them but now people can only despair after mass arrests and brutality

Deepa Parent and William Christou
Sun 18 Jan 2026 05.00 GMT
Last modified on Sun 18 Jan 2026 05.01 GMT

When Donald Trump, said he would “rescue” protesters if Iranian authorities started shooting, Siavash Shirzad believed the US president.

The 38-year-old father had seen protests rise up before, only to be brutally crushed by authorities.

But this was the first time in his life that the president of the United States had promised to help demonstrators. Reassured, Shirzad took to the streets, ignoring his family’s warnings and joining the growing crowds.

Authorities started shooting, but no help came. On 8 January, the internet was shut off and Iran went dark, Shirzad was shot at a protest in Tehran and died of his wounds hours later, leaving behind a 12-year-old son.

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Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/18/why-protesters-iran-feel-betrayed-donald-trump