Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives: It is important to support peaceful protests in Iran

On the second day of protests against the government and economic conditions in various cities in Iran, Paul Ryan, the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, called for support for these protests on Friday, December 29. Initially, on Thursday, cities such as Mashhad, Nishapur, Kashmar, and Shahroud witnessed protests titled 'No to Inflation,' but these protests continued on Friday in several other cities in Iran. Some videos shared on social media indicate that protests were held in Kermanshah, Tehran, Quchan, Isfahan, Rasht, Ahvaz, and Qom. The U.S. House of Representatives tweeted that it is important to support peaceful protests in Iran. Paul Ryan added that this is the result of the regime's behavior, which focuses on supporting terrorist organizations instead of solving citizens' problems. In this context, Republican Senator Tom Cotton also called for 'support' for the protests of the Iranian people on Thursday. Senator Cotton criticized the Islamic Republic's policies in the region, stating, 'The Ayatollahs [ruling Iran] have not been able to meet the basic needs of their people even after receiving billions of dollars from the lifting of sanctions, perhaps because much of this money has been spent on their militant campaigns in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, and Yemen.' While these American lawmakers have called for support for protests in Iran, the approach of Washington towards Tehran has changed since Donald Trump's administration compared to Barack Obama's presidency. The U.S. Secretary of State stated on Wednesday that the 'defective' nuclear agreement with Iran is no longer the focus of Washington's policy towards Tehran. In this context, Rex Tillerson, the U.S. Secretary of State, stated earlier this year that our policy towards Iran is to support elements within Iran for a peaceful transition of power, and as we know, those elements exist. The protests occurred amid recent criticism of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani from opponents and critics due to the rising prices of goods and consumer products. Economic experts say that low-income families and vulnerable groups in Iran are under severe economic pressure and see no prospect for escaping the economic situation. Cities like Mashhad, Nishapur, Kashmar, and Shahroud witnessed protests titled 'No to Inflation' on Thursday. According to some videos shared on social media, the protest in Mashhad turned violent following the response of security forces, who used water cannons and tear gas to disperse the protesters.