1. United States
2. Ariz.
3. Letter

I am writing to urge you to oppose further military escalation with Iran and to advocate for immediate diplomatic engagement to prevent a wider regional war. The recent military operation that killed Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei represents the largest U.S. military deployment to the region since the 2003 Iraq invasion. This action was taken with minimal explanation to the American public and despite skepticism from close presidential advisers. The administration's stated goal of regime change echoes the same rationale used to justify the Iraq War, which resulted in over 4,500 American service member deaths, cost taxpayers over $2 trillion, and destabilized an entire region for decades. Before this strike, President Trump confirmed with Admiral Brad Cooper that Iranian retaliation and American casualties were expected. We are now on the brink of a conflict that could claim countless American lives and drag our nation into another prolonged Middle Eastern war. The destruction of Khamenei's compound and the administration's public calls for the Iranian people to "take over your government" have created conditions for chaos and potential civil war in a nation of 88 million people. History demonstrates that military operations aimed at regime change rarely produce the democratic outcomes promised. Instead, they create power vacuums that lead to prolonged instability, humanitarian crises, and ongoing American military commitments. Our service members deserve better than to be deployed into another open-ended conflict without clear objectives or exit strategies. I urge you to publicly oppose further military action against Iran, demand that the administration seek congressional authorization before any additional strikes, and push for immediate diplomatic efforts to de-escalate this crisis. The American people did not consent to another war, and our national security is not served by repeating the catastrophic mistakes of the past.