> 2. with the "help" of US, some kind of revolution which will topple the government etc. which ultimately will make things worse for the people of Iran but wil

> 2. with the "help" of US, some kind of revolution which will topple the government etc. which ultimately will make things worse for the people of Iran but will be a win for the US I don't believe the result of a coup is that cut-and-dry. The current government of Iran is democratically elected by only the most charitable of definitions. A majority of the animosity between the US and Iran is at the governmental level. A truly democratic Iran could easily become a viable and strong ally for the US in the region, offsetting our reliance on Saudi Arabia and Israel for regional influence. Of course, it could go the other way. But I don't think it is clear at all that the fall of the Islamic Republic would be a net-negative for the people of Iran.