How could a group (MEK) despised by both sides (the regime & the Iranian people) be involved without alienating or worse, causing the civilians to side with the regime against MEK? What will that do? Cause a civil war? The result would be the Iranian civilians despising the US for causing it.
“How could a group (MEK) despised by both sides (the regime & the Iranian people) be involved without alienating (the population)”
Opinions vary on MEK. They do have baggage.
The very fact that they have received long and hard bashing in the State media (and sacrificed lives) gives them some opposition credibility. Also, they come into this phase with a newly cleaned up image - moderate new campaign platform, and a glossy new media operation (both of which indicate intelligence service support to me). There has been a significant re-branding effort.
MEK is throughout the country, and has a good number of people willing to pull triggers. If you are going to adopt an “all of the above” strategy to take out the Mullahs, it is hard to overlook their potential, or find a comparable alternative. As a casual armchair observer, it seems that they have been selected to play a big role. If that is the case, then professionals have assessed their current, real political acceptability to the population.
After 100,000 hangings, and impoverishing the Nation, people will probably just despise the regime more.