Progressives and the Iran War: Old Illusions, Discredited Advisers

Congressional progressives must be as disoriented as the Iranians as what remains of the Islamic Republic’s regime convulses in its violent death throes. After all, they seem to be getting their information about the conflict over Iran’s skies from the same sources as the outgoing regime in Tehran.

The Jewish Insider reported Monday that the Congressional Progressive Caucus organized an emergency briefing for its members on the war designed to rid the world of Iran’s terror masters. The figures they tapped to clear up their members’ confusion included the Quincy Institute’s Trita Parsi and Barack Obama’s controversial former national security adviser Ben Rhodes.

About the Author

Noah Rothman

Noah Rothman is a senior writer at National Review. His third book, Blood and Progress: A Century of Left-Wing Violence, was published by Hachette in May 2026.

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Congressional progressives must be as disoriented as the Iranians as what remains of the Islamic Republic’s regime convulses in its violent death throes. After all, they seem to be getting their information about the conflict over Iran’s skies from the same sources as the outgoing regime in Tehran.

The Jewish Insider reported Monday that the Congressional Progressive Caucus organized an emergency briefing for its members on the war designed to rid the world of Iran’s terror masters. The figures they tapped to clear up their members’ confusion included the Quincy Institute’s Trita Parsi and Barack Obama’s controversial former national security adviser Ben Rhodes.

About the Author

Noah Rothman

Noah Rothman is a senior writer at National Review. His third book, Blood and Progress: A Century of Left-Wing Violence, was published by Hachette in May 2026.