The perception that US assistance will hurt the internal oppisition is very wrong. Indeed, the Iranian regime is scared of the US and the help must be OVERT and not covert at all.

Second, Iranian regime has been murdering and supressing its opponents since day one without even an excuse to begin with. They would kill and jail any body who disagree with them publicly and challenge them that way. Mullahs don't need an excuse to mistreat the dissidents. They do it any how. Back in 1988, they killed thousands of Iranian dissidents when there was no US backed rhetoric towards the regime at all. The mullahs are more wicked than you imagine.

The notion that US govt help to overthrow the regime is bad is absolutely wrong and misleading. Indeed, the US govt must publicly denounce the mullahs and support the opposition to change the regime.