Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is speaking directly to American voters.
On Tuesday, the powerful Iranian military force released a 25-page open letter addressed to the American public, urging voters to reject President Donald Trump's policies and "wrest control back from corrupt politicians" roughly five weeks before the U.S. midterm elections.
The letter, released about seven months after the U.S.-Israel war against Iran began, draws a sharp line between the American people and their government. The IRGC argues that ordinary Americans and Iranians are both victims of costly wars pursued by political leaders, and it urges Americans to oppose U.S. support for Israel and foreign military interventions.
It also accuses Trump of concealing what Tehran says is the peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear program. "Remove from power the evil, deceitful, and violent politicians who are responsible for America's current state," the letter declares. "Entrust your affairs to the wise, not the wily."
IRGC spokesman Gen. Hossein Mohebbi presented the letter at a news conference in Tehran on Tuesday. He said the only way to end the conflict was for Washington to acknowledge defeat and withdraw, and acknowledged he did not expect the letter to change the Trump administration's behavior.
"The American people are not knowledgeable about many developments," Mohebbi said. "We believe if they knew more, they would think differently and take other decisions."
The letter stops short of explicitly telling Americans to vote Democratic. But its call to reject Trump's policies lands squarely on the side of his political opponents, about five weeks before elections that will decide control of the House and Senate.