Dozens of Iranian activists and commentators have praised President Donald Trump’s blunt denunciation of the Islamic Republic during his Middle East tour. Even some state-sanctioned analysts in Tehran conceded that Trump’s comparison between a struggling, isolated Iran and the increasingly prosperous, influential Arab oil monarchies contains a measure of truth.
Speaking in Saudi Arabia on May 13, 2025, Trump declared: “Iran’s decades of neglect and mismanagement have left the country plagued by rolling blackouts lasting for hours a day. … While your skill has turned dry deserts into fertile farmland, Iran’s leaders have managed to turn green farmland into dry deserts.”
One Iranian user with over 5,000 followers wrote on X, addressing the government: “We have never been humiliated like this on the international stage. … Shame on you all. A curse on your so-called governance.”
Once-rigid Gulf monarchies like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have transformed into dynamic, globally connected powerhouses.
Before the 1979 revolution that brought Shi’ite clerics to power, Iran was widely seen as the region’s leader in modernization, military strength, and energy diplomacy, playing a dominant role in shaping OPEC policy. But in the 46 years since the Islamic Republic’s founding—marked by anti-American hostility and internal repression—Iran has slid into international isolation and economic decay. In contrast, once-rigid Gulf monarchies like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have transformed into dynamic, globally connected powerhouses.
“The sense of frustration among Iranians these days is beyond description,” another user posted. “They have to wait hours for electricity, battle through dozens of censorship filters to access the internet, only to see Saudi Arabia hosting Trump, investing $600 billion in the U.S., and welcoming the world’s tech giants to sign billion-dollar deals. Hats off to Bin Salman—seriously,” the tweet said, receiving hundreds of likes.
Many Iranians who question the legacy of the 1979 revolution argue that the Pahlavi monarchs were pursuing the very path now championed by Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman: investing oil wealth in national development while maintaining strong ties with global powers—especially the United States.
Iranian officials responded with predictable defiance. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called Trump’s comments “deceitful,” while Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf boasted about Iran’s support for armed groups across the region. “He remains delusional,” Ghalibaf said, adding, “We advise him to open his eyes to the realities of the region and recognize that the position of the Resistance is firmly rooted in the hearts and minds of the people.”
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called Trump’s comments “deceitful.”
Yet not all voices inside the establishment echoed this bravado. Analyst Ahmad Zeydabadi, writing on X, offered a veiled critique of the Iranian leadership by praising Saudi Arabia’s adaptability. “The reason isn’t just oil—though proper use of oil matters. The real advantage lies in understanding one’s absolute and comparative strengths, grasping the logic of change, and having the flexibility to adapt. The Saudis, it seems, have figured it out.”
After delivering his broadside, Trump struck a more optimistic tone on May 14, suggesting a new nuclear deal with Iran still might be possible. But many of the same Iranian voices who welcomed his criticism took to social media to warn that any agreement with Tehran would be either naïve or dangerous. The Islamic Republic, they cautioned, is not to be trusted.
