Iranian-American (هالی دگرس) • @WashInstitute Senior Fellow • 15 years in MENA, Iran raised • TEDx Speaker • Newsletter: theiranist.com • فارسی/English

Washington, DC (واشنگتن)
My TEDxTalk on Iranian Gen Z finally dropped... 💫 NOTE: Dissident rapper Toomaj Salehi’s death sentence has been overturned, but he still languishes in prison. piped.video/watch?v=XtUotLlc…
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Holly Dagres retweeted
There’s a phishing scam going around tonight to DC reporters who cover national security, purportedly inviting them to a briefing with Bridge Colby. Links to a URL not associated with the Pentagon.
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Holly Dagres retweeted
Bombing electrical grids isn’t going to get Iranians to overthrow the Islamic Republic. (Power outages didn’t do it in Cuba.) What committing war crimes will do is deprive Iranians of their ability to communicate, spoil food in fridges and markets, and make their lives even harder—everything from leaving the house to getting around the city.
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Holly Dagres retweeted
Back in April, the Trump administration praised Ghalibaf to @IgnatiusPost as a "refined and professional bargainer" and "potential leader of a new Iran" Today Rezaei gets the same treatment: a man who "understands the dire situation" Now, as then, putting too much stock in the hope that America just needs the right personal relationship in order to sell a deal to the regime There are real internal disputes in Tehran, but I think the administration continues to over-index on the idea that those disputes are the main obstacle to a lasting agreement washingtonpost.com/opinions/…
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Basically “Live Free or Die Hard” (Die Hard 4) movie plot in IRL
I’ve been super busy the last couple days and all I’m getting is hundreds of messages from people that there’s some type of doomsday cyber scenario. What is up?
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Holly Dagres retweeted
SCOOP: The top U.S. commander in the Middle East briefed President Trump Thursday on military options for Iran, a rare in-person visit to the White House as the U.S. weighs resuming major combat operations. W @mgordonwsj @shelbyholliday wsj.com/politics/national-se…
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They seem to think hitting civilian infrastructure and depriving Iranians of power will do the trick this time 🤦🏻‍♀️
If striking 11,000 targets and a months-long blockade failed to produce Iranian collapse or capitulation, what would a “short, intense” military campaign produce—other than Iranian and Houthi retaliation against shipping, pipelines, and airports, another oil price spike, more casualties, and further erosion of public and regional support for the war? If reports like this are just the umpteenth time since the April ceasefire that Trump has threatened escalation to get a “better deal,” more power to him. But if it’s an actual operational plan, it’s likely to prove as counterproductive as the previous rounds.
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👀
Iran’s conditions have been repeatedly and clearly stated to the mediators. The carrot-and-stick approach has no effect on Iran. Progress can only be achieved once Iran’s seven conditions have been agreed upon.
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دیشب در مراسم سالانه «بنیاد روز اُکسی» و با حضور سفیر یونان در واشنگتن دی‌سی، سه «جایزه شجاعت» به دالایی لاما، توماج صالحی و ویکتوریا روشچینا اهدا شد. کارل گرشمن جایزه توماج صالحی را به آزاده افصحی تقدیم کرد و او به نمایندگی جایزه را دریافت کرد. Last night, at the Oxi Day Foundation’s annual event, three "Courage Awards" were presented—in the presence of the Greek Ambassador to Washington, D.C.—to the Dalai Lama, Toomaj Salehi, and Victoria Roshchyna. Carl Gershman presented the award for Toomaj Salehi to Azadeh Afsahi, who accepted it on his behalf.
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Holly Dagres retweeted
my AI agents after I give them full access and tell them to be careful
Necromancer
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Holly Dagres retweeted
This is an important story for three main reasons beyond the obvious value that these goods have for Iran's capabilities. First, it shows the limits of sanctions. Max pressure sanctions have been in effect since 2018. MODAFL has been sanctioned since the Bush Admin. 1/4
Iran created a secret network of military agencies to import at least $2 billion in hardware, explosives and heavy-duty trucks since January 2025, evading both the US naval blockade and Western sanctions, a Reuters investigation found reut.rs/3UNGyfk
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Listen to the details in this video 👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼
Trump is reportedly planning to restart war with Iran after the election. Some of us have been briefed on the war plan. And while I cannot disclose any details, I can say this: the plan is insane. It will not achieve objectives and will set off a new cycle of escalation.
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Not only are they late to the Lego game, now it just looks like they’re copying the Iranians…
MAKING. AMERICA. GREAT. AGAIN.
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FYI: Tehran received the plan on Sunday, and it's now Thursday with no updates...
While our Brave Armed Forces are fully prepared to defend the Homeland, Iran continues to give diplomacy a chance to succeed. We remain in close and ongoing contact with intermediaries to review ideas that can ensure implementation of our 7-Day Plan in even less than a week.
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RT @NazaninBoniadi: Acclaimed Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi had every reason to seek asylum abroad, yet he chose to return home fully awar…
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Holly Dagres retweeted
Notable: "The tone of Vance's letter shows a marked difference from Trump's letter prior to the 12-Day War. In this letter, threatening language is much more subdued, while a soft and respectful tone is more prominent."
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Tehran likely interpreted Vance's outreach in two ways: as the Trump administration's desperation to make a deal (at least symbolically), or as an attempt to send a message to US voters. Both are seen through the lens of the midterms. wsj.com/world/middle-east/va…
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