A panel of experts covered U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement that he was withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal on Iranian television, although they elegantly ignored the beginning of his speech.
"We know this is a tough day for the Iranian people and are aware that the Iranians are disappointed, but we have to point out: Iran won!" one pundit said. A moment later, an expert on international affairs added: "Iran proved it has thus far fulfilled its part of the deal, and did everything it could to stay in it. As always, the U.S. emerged treacherous and proved it cannot be trusted. We expected this in advance."
Meanwhile, in my own personal conversations, a supporter of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei told me off: "Iran won? How can you say that?"
Emotions also boiled over on Iranian social media: "We shouldn't have trusted the enemy; if you trust the enemy you will fall in the honey trap he sets for you."
Another Khamenei supporter wrote: "Iran has self-respect and doesn't get its nourishment from rotten apples with worms [a reference to Trump]."
"We have stayed and will stay in the deal, and this is further proof that the U.S. and the West are not interested in any type of dialogue. They have never honored international law," said another poster.
Someone else wrote: "Trump's withdrawal from the deal is good for Iran; it's essentially psychological warfare, nothing more."
Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps and its supporters responded scathingly.
"Trump's eyes will go blind after he sees the Iranian response; we will not sit quietly," one person wrote. And another: "This isn't the time for internal wars. Let us unite and see what Trump plans to do after we wipe Israel from the map; he will flee like a rat, without looking back. Russia and China will help us."
Regime opposers inside Iran expressed a longing for Trump's predecessor, Barack Obama.
"We're happy Trump pulled out of the deal; it would have only worsened an already tough situation," one commenter said.
A supporter of the toppled shah, responding from somewhere in Europe, received considerable backing for writing: "I don't understand the Iranians outside Iran who support Trump's policy – how can you expect a president who disrespects his own nation to respect the Iranians and their personal needs? We are headed toward destruction. There is no food, corruption is everywhere, the cost of living is steadily rising, and now the withdrawal from the nuclear deal. What's the next phase, where is the shah to save us from our agony?"
Iran is waking up to the smell of burning gunpowder. A group of students from the Basij paramilitary volunteer militia, which takes its orders from the Revolutionary Guards, took to the streets of Tehran to protest Trump's decision.
Burning the U.S. flag, they shouted: "Trump, get ready! We are coming and ready as ever for war." The video was erased from social media in less than an hour.
A more moderate video, from a different protest in the Iranian capital, was not taken down. It showed protesters burning American flags and shouting "Allahu akbar" ("God is great") and "Death to America." This is the same tune that has been playing for 40 years now.
