From Evin Prison to the White House: Mostafa Tajzadeh Warns Trump of War’s Consequences and Iran’s Enduring National Resolve
A prominent Iranian reformist figure and political prisoner, Mostafa Tajzadeh, has issued a rare and powerful open letter from Tehran’s Evin Prison addressed to the U.S. President Donald Trump, sharply criticizing the ongoing war and warning of its far-reaching consequences for both nations and the broader region.
Tajzadeh, a senior leader of Iran’s reform movement and a long-time advocate for democracy, civil liberties, and political reform, is currently serving a prison sentence in Evin. Over the past decades, he has repeatedly faced imprisonment due to his outspoken criticism of authoritarian governance in Iran and his calls for peaceful reform. His continued detention has made him one of the most recognizable political prisoners in the country and a symbol of the reformist current within Iranian politics.
Writing from prison - where he notes he can “hear the destructive sound of bombs and missiles day and night” - Tajzadeh introduces himself as “a pro-democracy and peace-seeking political prisoner,” and delivers a direct message to President Trump. Tajzadeh holds the American President responsible for initiating the current war, and expresses his “firm opposition to a war that has already caused significant damage and loss of life,” warning that its continuation could escalate into “a full-scale tragedy” by imposing immense and avoidable suffering on ordinary people who neither initiated nor support the conflict.
Tajzadeh challenges Trump’s repeated claims of being a peace-oriented leader, noting the contradiction between such rhetoric and the decision to launch a war that “lacks authorization from the United Nations Security Council,” and has failed to gain the support of key U.S. allies in Europe. He underscores that even NATO-aligned partners have refrained from joining the conflict due to its lack of legal and political legitimacy.
The letter further raises critical questions about the timing of the war, pointing to ongoing diplomatic efforts prior to the escalation. According to Tajzadeh, proposals put forward by Iran during negotiations in Geneva - mediated by Oman - had brought a potential agreement within reach, one that could have addressed Washington’s nuclear concerns. In this context, he asks why military action was pursued “in the midst of negotiations,” rather than allowing diplomacy to proceed.
A central concern in the letter is the reported expansion of military targets to include civilian infrastructure. Tajzadeh condemns the bombing of non-military sites such as power plants, water facilities, bridges, refineries, and other critical infrastructure, arguing that such actions violate international law, contradict U.S. legal norms, and amount to an inhumane declaration of war against the Iranian people. He warns that strategies aimed at devastating a country’s infrastructure risk turning the conflict into “a dirty and catastrophic war,” with consequences that could destabilize the entire region and intensify anti-American sentiment globally.
Drawing on historical context, Tajzadeh highlights the long shadow of U.S. involvement in Iran, particularly the 1953 coup against Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh, which he argues fundamentally shifted Iranian public opinion toward distrust of the United States. He cautions that current policies risk repeating similar historical mistakes, potentially reshaping Iranian society and politics in ways that could have lasting consequences. “You may be unknowingly recreating the same turning point,” he writes, especially if the war expands further.
Tajzadeh also emphasizes the broader global implications of the conflict, noting its impact on rising oil and gas prices, inflation, and economic instability worldwide, alongside the heavy human and material toll inside Iran. He argues that rhetoric about pushing Iran back to the “stone age” does not signal strength or success, but rather reveals the failure of the war to achieve its stated objectives and reflects desperation on the part of the attacking government.
Despite his sharp criticism of both war and authoritarianism, Tajzadeh closes with a clear assertion of national unity in the face of external threats. He underscores that “Iranians, under any circumstances, will defend the integrity of their country,” highlighting a critical dynamic: even those who oppose the Iranian government domestically, like Tajzadeh, may rally in defense of national sovereignty when faced with foreign military intervention.
The letter stands as a significant intervention from within Iran’s prison system - a voice simultaneously critical of domestic repression and external military escalation - offering a stark warning about the human, political, and historical costs of continued war.