I think it was an awkward sarcastic reference to how we’re supposedly “freeing” Iranians so they can return to a more progressive culture like the one they had in the 70’s. There are famous photos of Iranian women in bikinis from that time that shock westerners who assume Iran has always been an ultra-conservative theocracy.

What they really mean is we’re not doing them any good by toppling the regime if we’re also killing them.