The facts
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) released a 25‑page open letter about five weeks before the U.S. midterm elections, seven months after the Iran‑Israel‑U.S. conflict began. In the letter the IRGC urges American voters to reject President Donald Trump’s policies and “wrest control back from corrupt politicians.” It argues that Washington’s war against Iran has failed to meet its objectives and calls for a shift in U.S. policy toward Tehran. The document distinguishes ordinary Iranians and Americans as victims of political leaders and asks Americans to oppose U.S. support for Israel and other foreign interventions. IRGC spokesman Gen. Hossein Mohebbi reiterated the message at a Tehran news conference, saying the only way to end the conflict is for Washington to acknowledge defeat and withdraw. He also rejected claims that Iran has lost leverage over the Strait of Hormuz, noting that limited vessel movement does not mean the strait is fully open. The letter reinterprets the slogan “Death to America” as a prayer for the eradication of the “diabolical ruling elite whose seat of power is the White House,” not a threat to the American populace. Meanwhile, Iran’s economy remains strained; the rial fell to a new record low, with traders exchanging more than 2.5 million rials for one U.S. dollar.
Our take
The IRGC has turned its war‑room rhetoric into a voter‑persuasion pamphlet, and the result reads like a fucking campaign mailer stamped with a rifle. Instead of blasting missiles, Tehran’s most feared military unit is now trying to win hearts and ballots by telling Americans to dump Trump and “wrest control back from corrupt politicians.” The letter’s biggest coup is the rebranding of the infamous “Death to America” chant. By recasting it as a prayer against the White House elite, the IRGC hopes to soften the slogan’s image while still slinging ideological venom. It’s a classic Cold‑War playbook – think “Hanoi Hannah” – but upgraded to a glossy PDF that lands in inboxes rather than on radio waves. The timing is unmistakable: released just weeks before the midterms, the letter aims to exploit voter fatigue and anti‑establishment sentiment. Yet the IRGC’s own domestic woes undercut its credibility. While urging Americans to question their leaders, the corps watches the rial tumble to a record low, with more than 2.5 million rials needed for a single dollar. That economic collapse makes the promise of “peaceful coexistence” feel hollow when the very currency that funds the letter is collapsing. The IRGC’s strategy is a gamble – betting that a foreign electorate will care enough about a distant war to influence their vote. If it works, it will be a bizarre victory for a militia that claims to have already won on the battlefield. If it fails, the world will have witnessed the most audacious piece of political propaganda ever printed on a military seal. Either way, the IRGC’s 25‑page manifesto is a stark reminder that modern warfare now includes inboxes, memes, and the occasional profanity‑laden rallying cry.
