My fingers are crossed that whatever happens post current regime that life is markedly better for the Iranian people. I'd hate to see civil war or mass starvation. Their currency has fallen off a cliff and continues to do so.

Same concern (although the larger concern is that we've seen this movie before, and it doesn't end well for the protesters), but you can say this about literally every overthrow of every dictatorship. The only way out is through.

Puts most of our western troubles in perspective. Things could be worse.

Yes and the perspective I’m taking is that it is very depressing to see direction current events are taking us.

And doesn't become another neoliberal, corrupt vassal state beholden to the IMF.

Yeah, that sounds absolutely awful compared to what it's like to live in Iran now

False choice. Both are bad.

Nope. Your "horror scenario" would be a definite improvement. Both are bad, perhaps, but not equally bad.

The IMF is essentially a credit union with 191 member countries, so they'd become a vassal to most of the world - if by vassal, one means to agree to terms that might make it possible to repay loans.

Some (including quite a few neoliberals) want to abolish the IMF altogether, though I'm unsure if letting countries collapse completely is really a better option.

Lies. IMF isn't a charity. They come in and dictate policy and make money off misfortune. It's disaster capitalism.

Edit: See also. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Shock_Doctrine

I did not say it was a charity.