---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Even if you look at Iran, those…"
description: "\"Even if you look at Iran, those campaigners for human rights there, they don't want to have anything to do with America, because they are afraid that h..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/746/yaroslav-trofimov-28338_america_even-if-you-look-at-iran-those-campaigne_405882.jpg"
---

#  Even if you look at Iran, those campaigners for human…

![“Even if you look at Iran, those campaigners for human rights there, they don't want to have anything to do with America, because they are afraid that having American support will be the kiss of death for their movement. And that's really tragic.” quote by Yaroslav Trofimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/746/yaroslav-trofimov-28338_america_even-if-you-look-at-iran-those-campaigne_405882.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/746/yaroslav-trofimov-28338_america_even-if-you-look-at-iran-those-campaigne_405882.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/746/yaroslav-trofimov-28338_america_even-if-you-look-at-iran-those-campaigne_405882.jpg)

> “Even if you look at Iran, those campaigners for human rights there, they don't want to have anything to do with America, because they are afraid that having American support will be the kiss of death for their movement. And that's really tragic.”

[Yaroslav Trofimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yaroslav-trofimov/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Human‑rights activists in Iran fear U.S. backing will undermine their credibility and endanger their cause.

**In simple terms:** They avoid American aid fearing it will hurt their movement.

Key Takeaway

Seek local legitimacy before external support.

Themes

human rights politics trust activism

Mood

cautious critical

Type

political analytical

When to use this quote

- NGO work
- foreign policy
- grassroots organizing
- media strategy

Key Concepts

Geopolitics credibility risk management

Questions to Reflect On

- How can activists balance foreign support with local trust?
- What alternatives exist to U.S. assistance?

A Different Perspective

External aid can be perceived as foreign interference.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Human rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-rights/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Iran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/iran/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Kiss of death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kiss-of-death/) [Kissing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kissing/) [Movement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movement/) [Rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights/) [Support](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/support/) [Tragic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tragic/)

## Related quotes

> [I look forward to an America which will not be afraid of grace and beauty, which will protect the beauty of our natural environment,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/i-look-forward-to-an-america-which-will-not-be-afraid-of-grace-and-3/)

[John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/)

> [I look forward to an America which will not be afraid of grace and beauty...an America which will reward achievement in the arts as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/i-look-forward-to-an-america-which-will-not-be-afraid-of-grace-and/)

[John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/)

> [No one in America should ever be afraid to walk down the street holding the hand of the person they love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/no-one-in-america-should-ever-be-afraid-to-walk-down-the-street/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [My parents witnessed firsthand in Haiti that if you stop speaking up, one day you'll wake up afraid to speak. They came to America…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karine-jean-pierre/my-parents-witnessed-firsthand-in-haiti-that-if-you-stop-speaking-up/)

[Karine Jean-Pierre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karine-jean-pierre/)

> [There is not one single police officer in America that I am not afraid of and not one that I would trust to tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/there-is-not-one-single-police-officer-in-america-that-i-am-not/)

[Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/)

> [There are three categories of people in America: those who are afraid, those who don't know enough to be afraid, and those who know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-rogers/there-are-three-categories-of-people-in-america-those-who-are-afraid/)

[Adrian Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-rogers/)

> [I look forward to an America which will not be afraid of grace and beauty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/i-look-forward-to-an-america-which-will-not-be-afraid-of-grace-and-2/)

[John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/)

> [America is so afraid of terror and terrorism to the point that they don't allow people to move around freely and see what they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muammar-al-gaddafi/america-is-so-afraid-of-terror-and-terrorism-to-the-point-that-they/)

[Muammar al-Gaddafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muammar-al-gaddafi/)

> [“America is really the only country strong enough to cope with the Russians these days, and we depend upon her support for much of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-aldridge/america-is-really-the-only-country-strong-enough-to-cope-with-the/)

[James Aldridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-aldridge/)

> [It is hard as an American to support the failure of American military operations in Iraq. Such failure will bring with it the death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-ritter/it-is-hard-as-an-american-to-support-the-failure-of-american-military/)

[Scott Ritter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-ritter/)

> [As deputy secretary of state, I spent hours with my Turkish counterparts trying to find a modus vivendi for continuing American support to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-blinken/as-deputy-secretary-of-state-i-spent-hours-with-my-turkish/)

[Antony Blinken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-blinken/)

> [Once the war against Saddam begins, we expect every American to support our military, and if they can't do that, to shut up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-o-reilly/once-the-war-against-saddam-begins-we-expect-every-american-to/)

[Bill O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-o-reilly/)

> [It's fascinating to see how things have changed. Basically, every time the US government gets off the soapbox of the Sunday-morning talk shows, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/it-s-fascinating-to-see-how-things-have-changed-basically-every-time/)

[Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/)

> [I think, like many others, I realized that only the massive introduction of American support in one form or another, could possibly bring about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-think-like-many-others-i-realized-that-only-the-massive/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [There is a risk that overt American support for Guaido could shore up Maduro's base and trigger displays of military force, potentially plunging Venezuela…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ro-khanna/there-is-a-risk-that-overt-american-support-for-guaido-could-shore-up/)

[Ro Khanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ro-khanna/)

## More by Yaroslav Trofimov

> [If you are an eighteen or nineteen-year-old with little education, as is often the case, and you're put in charge of many, many people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yaroslav-trofimov/if-you-are-an-eighteen-or-nineteen-year-old-with-little-education-as/)

[Yaroslav Trofimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yaroslav-trofimov/)

> [The American official was trying to talk about aid and development projects and finally a local tribal chief got up and said, "Even if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yaroslav-trofimov/the-american-official-was-trying-to-talk-about-aid-and-development/)

[Yaroslav Trofimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yaroslav-trofimov/)

> [But in Afghanistan, the general rule was that since you were fighting the Taliban, which was not a lawful government force, the Geneva Conventions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yaroslav-trofimov/but-in-afghanistan-the-general-rule-was-that-since-you-were-fighting/)

[Yaroslav Trofimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yaroslav-trofimov/)

> [Now as to the behavior of the soldiers: occupations always corrupt the occupiers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yaroslav-trofimov/now-as-to-the-behavior-of-the-soldiers-occupations-always-corrupt-the/)

[Yaroslav Trofimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yaroslav-trofimov/)

> [I think the behavior of the troops has been a huge factor in the rise of the insurgency and in the rise of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yaroslav-trofimov/i-think-the-behavior-of-the-troops-has-been-a-huge-factor-in-the-rise/)

[Yaroslav Trofimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yaroslav-trofimov/)

> [In a country like Iraq with its culture of blood feuds - is that the more locals are killed, the more motivation there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yaroslav-trofimov/in-a-country-like-iraq-with-its-culture-of-blood-feuds-is-that-the/)

[Yaroslav Trofimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yaroslav-trofimov/)

> [In the occupation in Afghanistan, there are tragedies as well. It's not as bad as in Iraq because there are fewer American troops. But,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yaroslav-trofimov/in-the-occupation-in-afghanistan-there-are-tragedies-as-well-it-s-not/)

[Yaroslav Trofimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yaroslav-trofimov/)

> [ Because no matter how much money we spend there \[in Iraq\], as long as the people there see this money as... as assistance that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yaroslav-trofimov/because-no-matter-how-much-money-we-spend-there-in-iraq-as-long-as/)

[Yaroslav Trofimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yaroslav-trofimov/)

> [The other problem is that the priority of many soldiers in Iraq or Afghanistan is operational security: not getting killed. Now that is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yaroslav-trofimov/the-other-problem-is-that-the-priority-of-many-soldiers-in-iraq-or/)

[Yaroslav Trofimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yaroslav-trofimov/)

> [I did some embedded stuff. And if you are embedded, the only things you see are what the soldiers see, and if the people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yaroslav-trofimov/i-did-some-embedded-stuff-and-if-you-are-embedded-the-only-things-you/)

[Yaroslav Trofimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yaroslav-trofimov/)

> [So our own actions sometimes have undermined our safety, in our efforts to fight terrorism. The only way this can work is if we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yaroslav-trofimov/so-our-own-actions-sometimes-have-undermined-our-safety-in-our/)

[Yaroslav Trofimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yaroslav-trofimov/)

> [Even if you are a liberal in the Muslim world, when you see Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo, and you see all the other reports…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yaroslav-trofimov/even-if-you-are-a-liberal-in-the-muslim-world-when-you-see-abu-ghraib/)

[Yaroslav Trofimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yaroslav-trofimov/)

> [What I found most ironic is that the safest part for us as journalists was during the actual war. Back then, during that stage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yaroslav-trofimov/what-i-found-most-ironic-is-that-the-safest-part-for-us-as/)

[Yaroslav Trofimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yaroslav-trofimov/)

> [I think in Baghdad, any westerner, journalist or not, has a big dollar sign on his or her forehead. So, first and foremost, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yaroslav-trofimov/i-think-in-baghdad-any-westerner-journalist-or-not-has-a-big-dollar/)

[Yaroslav Trofimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yaroslav-trofimov/)

> [And if you look at the experience of Turkey, for example, where the modern Islamists are in power and are doing fine - this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yaroslav-trofimov/and-if-you-look-at-the-experience-of-turkey-for-example-where-the/)

[Yaroslav Trofimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yaroslav-trofimov/)

[Explore all 19 Yaroslav Trofimov quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yaroslav-trofimov/)

## More America quotes

> [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/)

[Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/)

> [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/)

[Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/)

> [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/)

[Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/)

> [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/)

[Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/)

> [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/)

[Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/)

> [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/)

[Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/)

> [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/)

[Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/)

> [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/)

[George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/)

> [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/)

[Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/)

> [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/)

[Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/)

> [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/)

[Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/)

> [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/)

[Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/)

> [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/)

[Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/)

[Browse all 20,382 America quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Even if you look at Iran, those campaigners for human rights there, they don't want to have anything to do with America, because they are afraid that having American support will be the kiss of death for their movement. And that's really tragic.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Yaroslav Trofimov"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yaroslav-trofimov/even-if-you-look-at-iran-those-campaigners-for-human-rights-there/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "America"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yaroslav-trofimov/even-if-you-look-at-iran-those-campaigners-for-human-rights-there/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/746/yaroslav-trofimov-28338_america_even-if-you-look-at-iran-those-campaigne_405882.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/746/yaroslav-trofimov-28338_america_even-if-you-look-at-iran-those-campaigne_405882.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/746/yaroslav-trofimov-28338_america_even-if-you-look-at-iran-those-campaigne_405882.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Even if you look at Iran, those campaigners for human rights there, they don't want to have anything to do…” — Yaroslav Trofimov",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Yaroslav Trofimov",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yaroslav-trofimov/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Even if you look at Iran,...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yaroslav-trofimov/even-if-you-look-at-iran-those-campaigners-for-human-rights-there/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yaroslav-trofimov/even-if-you-look-at-iran-those-campaigners-for-human-rights-there/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
