All week long, we've been talking to experts on Iran's nuclear program, its leadership,

and on U.S. foreign policy as President Trump weighs entering the war.

But speaking directly to people inside Iran is nearly impossible right now,

as the regime clamps down on communications and spreads fear in communities.

Tonight, we're joined from Los Angeles by Nazanin Boniadi.

She's an actress and a human rights activist focused on Iran

where she was born and which her family fled after the 1979 revolution.

Nazanin, welcome back to the News Hour.

Thanks for joining us.

Thanks for having me on that.

So let's talk about the people of Iran.

At this moment, when they're facing both Israeli airstrikes and a weakened, oppressive

regime, many of them have tried to rise up against in the past.

What do you hear from people you talk to?

What are they telling you?

There's a paradox inside Iran.

There's a deep sense of despair because the Iranians are caught between foreign firepower

and a regime that simply doesn't care about them.

They would soon see that the people burn and die and lives destroyed than to give up power.

This is a people who are caught between hope and despair in this moment.

But as much as they oppose the regime, they need to be able to organize.

This is the worst internet shutdown we've seen since the November, the bloody November protest of 2019, because unfortunately, this regime in the first instance, unleashes its fury first and foremost on its own people.

...