Especially if you diverge from the "party line". Such truths hurt. Cf eg BugBrother's comment (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7795134) (no downvotes there incidentally...)
This would however all be comical if it wasn't so tragic.
"It seems that dictators generally need to make enemies out of the world's democracies."
The US (and Europe) has set out to antagonize not only Iran, but Russia, and China. For what reasons?
"This is so the populations don't start to get ideas about why their junta's steal so much money and they don't have any freedom. "Democracy and freedom are just lies -- the westerners are degenerates which tolerate homosexuality, etc."
Oh yeah, the evil easterners threatening our freedom.... So.. that the population don't get any ideas about the "elected" government's corruption (the military spending, the banks, the rich 1%, etc)?
Any form of government that "we" don't like is lying about everything -- the easterners are degenerate who tolerate nothing and support terrorism!
Don't waste your time. You can't help a person who has decided to hit rock bottom. They'll only bring you down with them. That's the tragedy.