Sacramento residents, Iranian expert react to Iran ceasefire and President Trump’s rhetoric

News of a ceasefire in the conflict involving Iran prompted a wide range of reactions in the Sacramento area on Tuesday, as residents and political experts weighed both the agreement itself and President Donald Trump’s rhetoric surrounding the war.Some residents said they remain deeply skeptical of the U.S. role in the conflict.“He has not given any reason whatsoever for bombing Iran and starting this war,” said Michael Meyer, who opposes the war.Others said they do not trust that the ceasefire will hold.“I have no faith that he would keep his word about maintaining a ceasefire,” Carolyn Staehle said.Trump announced Tuesday that a ceasefire is now in place, but analysts are still assessing what the agreement could mean for the region and whether it can last.Dr. Amir Hamidi, an expert in global terrorism and a former U.S. diplomat, said he sees the development as part of a broader strategic shift.“This is not merely a military operation,” Hamidi said. “In my opinion, it represents a shift in doctrine, a shift away from containment and negotiation toward neutralization of a threat at its source.”Hamidi, who is Iranian, said he believes many people inside Iran support outside pressure on the regime because internal efforts for change have been met with violent repression.“According to the Iranian people, which they are living inside Iran, and they believe this is exactly what they wanted because they cannot achieve freedom,” Hamidi said. “So they tried it many times, and the brutality was extreme, and people got killed.”Even with the ceasefire in place, some people said Trump’s language about the conflict continues to alarm them, especially his threat that “a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again.”“I feel that we are moving into fascist territory when we talk about literally committing a genocide of an entire sovereign nation and the civilians that live within it,” Staehle said.Jennifer Wood also criticized the president’s comments, calling them “just another example of the madness of this president.”Hamidi said he is uncertain the ceasefire will last, based on his long experience tracking the Iranian government.“I monitored the Iranian regime for the past 47 years since I was a very young student, and their DNA is defective,” Hamidi said. “Their DNA will never understand diplomacy. They never believe in regional safety and security.”He said the broader goal of the war is to weaken the Iranian regime, which he argued could eventually create a path to freedom for the Iranian people.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

SACRAMENTO, Calif. —

News of a ceasefire in the conflict involving Iran prompted a wide range of reactions in the Sacramento area on Tuesday, as residents and political experts weighed both the agreement itself and President Donald Trump’s rhetoric surrounding the war.

Some residents said they remain deeply skeptical of the U.S. role in the conflict.

“He has not given any reason whatsoever for bombing Iran and starting this war,” said Michael Meyer, who opposes the war.

Others said they do not trust that the ceasefire will hold.

“I have no faith that he [Trump] would keep his word about maintaining a ceasefire,” Carolyn Staehle said.

Trump announced Tuesday that a ceasefire is now in place, but analysts are still assessing what the agreement could mean for the region and whether it can last.

Dr. Amir Hamidi, an expert in global terrorism and a former U.S. diplomat, said he sees the development as part of a broader strategic shift.

“This is not merely a military operation,” Hamidi said. “In my opinion, it represents a shift in doctrine, a shift away from containment and negotiation toward neutralization of a threat at its source.”

Hamidi, who is Iranian, said he believes many people inside Iran support outside pressure on the regime because internal efforts for change have been met with violent repression.

“According to the Iranian people, which they are living inside Iran, and they believe this is exactly what they wanted because they cannot achieve freedom,” Hamidi said. “So they tried it many times, and the brutality was extreme, and people got killed.”

Even with the ceasefire in place, some people said Trump’s language about the conflict continues to alarm them, especially his threat that “a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again.”

“I feel that we are moving into fascist territory when we talk about literally committing a genocide of an entire sovereign nation and the civilians that live within it,” Staehle said.

Jennifer Wood also criticized the president’s comments, calling them “just another example of the madness of this president.”

Hamidi said he is uncertain the ceasefire will last, based on his long experience tracking the Iranian government.

“I monitored the Iranian regime for the past 47 years since I was a very young student, and their DNA is defective,” Hamidi said. “Their DNA will never understand diplomacy. They never believe in regional safety and security.”

He said the broader goal of the war is to weaken the Iranian regime, which he argued could eventually create a path to freedom for the Iranian people.

See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel