Netanyahu to Iranian People: ‘Israel Stands With You’

Latest Developments

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed solidarity with the Iranian people on September 30, noting that the vast majority oppose the Islamic Republic. He also raised the possibility that a new, democratic government will soon rule in Tehran. “When Iran is finally free — and that moment will come a lot sooner than people think — everything will be different,” Netanyahu said in a three-minute video posted on social media. “Our two ancient peoples, the Jewish people and the Persian people, will finally be at peace. Our two countries, Israel and Iran, will be at peace.”

Netanyahu urged Iranians not to let “a small group of fanatic theocrats crush your hopes and your dreams.” He added: “You deserve better. Your children deserve better. The entire world deserves better. I know you don’t support the rapists and murderers of Hamas and Hezbollah, but your leaders do. You deserve more. The people of Iran should know — Israel stands with you. May we together know a future of prosperity and peace.”

Netanyahu’s statement comes amid increased repression in Iran. Over the past two weeks, Tehran has executed some 20 people, reported the Oslo-based nonprofit Iran Human Rights (IHR) on September 28. The regime hanged two prisoners in public, an apparent attempt to further intimidate the Iranian population. In total, the Islamic Republic has executed approximately 470 people in 2024 to date, according to IHR. Meanwhile, approximately 1,800 protests against the regime have occurred in Iran in 2024 to date, including at least 280 in September alone, according to FDD’s Iran protest tracker.

Expert Analysis

“It’s time to say the quiet part out loud. Iranians and Israelis share a common enemy: the Islamic Republic of Iran. Not only is the clerical regime an impediment to a brighter future for both peoples, but it also is an aberration to the otherwise positive shared history of two ancient peoples living in the Middle East. So long as the Islamic Republic is in power, both peoples will continue to suffer. It’s high time that sentiment serves as the basis for a broader policy convergence.” — Behnam Ben Taleblu, FDD Senior Fellow

“Prime Minister Netanyahu has spoken forthrightly about the future of the Islamic Republic, rightly voicing hope for a free Iran unburdened by the clerical dictatorship. Netanyahu recognizes that only regime change can resolve the Iranian threat in the long term. If only President Biden could exhibit similar moral clarity.” — Tzvi Kahn, FDD Research Fellow and Senior Editor

Related Analysis

“Mapping Protests in Iran,” by Mark Dubowitz

“Elimination of Hezbollah Leader Hassan Nasrallah a Watershed Moment in Israel’s War Against Iranian Proxies,” FDD Flash Brief

“Wave of Executions Continues in Iran,” FDD Flash Brief