US ELECTION PODCAST: Iranian-Americans who feel betrayed by Democratic party

2 hours ago, updated at 8:07 AM.

Nikki Namdar is a progressive activist who strongly supports a woman's right to make her own choices. As an Iranian-American and Jewish individual, she holds diverse identities, yet in 2024, she plans to cast her vote for Donald Trump.

Shahin Milani, an Iranian-American, has typically supported the Democratic Party in past elections. However, this year he has decided not to cast his vote, expressing his disillusionment with both candidates.

In an exclusive interview during a special election segment on Eye for Iran with Iran International, both Milani and Namdar, although they have different opinions, share a common sentiment: they are dissatisfied with the policies of the Biden-Harris administration regarding Iran.

Milani mentioned that he would have chosen to vote for the Democrats if they had adopted a more assertive approach towards the Islamic Republic. He pointed out the absence of innovative strategies beyond the Iran Nuclear Deal and provided examples where he believed the current government minimized the significance of human rights violations in Iran.

However, regarding Trump, he mentioned that he simply cannot bring himself to support him.

Milani expressed that supporting Donald Trump was out of the question for him since Trump refused to acknowledge the outcome of the previous election. He emphasized that the smooth transfer of power is crucial, stating, “It's the foundation of Western liberal democracy.”

He mentioned that he doesn't feel a connection to either political party, referring to himself as feeling politically unanchored.

He thinks that not casting a vote is his only option.

Namdar has distanced herself from the Democratic Party, and having once opposed Trump, she has now become a supporter of the former president. For her, this transformation was a challenging emotional journey.

"I’ve always been opposed to Trump," Namdar remarked.

However, everything changed for her with the Hamas invasion of Israel on October 7, 2023.

She lost friends due to differing opinions following the attacks and what she felt was a lack of understanding from them.

"I don’t see eye to eye with Trump on all points, but I believe the key issue at hand is the Islamic Republic of Iran. That’s what truly matters."

In 2024, she is primarily concerned with one key issue: she strongly supports the Republican strategy of applying maximum pressure on Iran, which she believes contrasts sharply with what she perceives as the Democrats' tendency to appease the country.

On Monday, the US intelligence community alerted that countries like Iran are stepping up their efforts to spread misinformation related to the elections by pushing out misleading stories. Earlier in the summer, US officials disclosed that Iran was providing financial support to sway protests against Israel happening on college campuses. For Namdar, experiencing antisemitism crossed a crucial boundary.

Even though the Iranian vote won't influence the results of the U.S. elections, this year's candidates have significantly affected the Iranian-American community, leading to transformative experiences for individuals like Namdar and Milani.

To dive deeper into the conversation, check out the entire interview on YouTube or listen to it on platforms like Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, or Amazon.