Persians for Trump are here in force.

Steve Bannon was broadcasting his War Room show live from the CPAC exhibit hall on Friday morning. A small crowd had gathered around the sound stage, and one of Bannon’s minions passed the mike to an onlooker named Nima Poursohi, who was wearing a “Persians for Trump” T-shirt, a Trump-Vance hat, and mirrored sunglasses. Bannon asked him what his shirt was all about. “I’m proud to represent the Iranian–American community and their quest for freedom after 47 years of repression and tyranny under a repressive regime,” Poursohi yelled into the mike.

But he was only getting started.

“I cannot tell you how grateful the people of Iran, and the Iranian–American diaspora is for President Trump, because no other president had the courage to stand up to the Islamic regime,” he continued. “There is not a single Iranian- American who does not like Trump. President Trump, you hear me loud and clear: We love you, we’ll forever be grateful. You are the next King Cyrus the Great,” he said, invoking the founder of the Persian Empire, who is credited with liberating the Jews from captivity.

Bannon, who opposes deploying American ground troops to the Middle East, asked him if the Iranians finally overthrew radical Islam, “would they be a great ally to America?” Poursohi was unequivocal. “You have no idea, brother,” he replied. “The Persians would be the greatest ally ever.”

Poursohi seemed to speak for the remarkably large contingent of Iranians who have come this week to Grapevine, Texas, to attend the nation’s oldest conservative convention. President........

© Mother Jones