Tillerson: We Support a Peaceful Transfer of Power in Iran

Rex Tillerson, the U.S. Secretary of State, stated on Friday, January 5, that Washington supports the demands and aspirations of protesters in Iran for a peaceful transfer of power. In an interview with CNN, Mr. Tillerson said: The people of Iran have endured many hardships under this regime, including economic sanctions imposed due to the destabilizing behavior of this government. At some point, people decide they no longer want to continue living in such conditions. The U.S. Secretary of State added: We do not support a violent transfer of power; rather, we support a peaceful transfer of power, and we saw this expression (of demand) in the past during the widespread protests that occurred in 2009 after the elections, and we see it in the recent protests in the streets. Mr. Tillerson continued, we support the aspirations of the people of Iran for a better life and more freedoms. I believe they deserve such rights. However, it is up to the people of Iran to determine how this peaceful transfer of power should take place. The U.S. Secretary of State also mentioned: We know that the Iranian government listens to the international community, which is why we are cooperating with other countries to tell this regime; it must pay attention to the demands and requests of the people and must begin reforms to respond to these demands. The protests in Iran, which began last week in Mashhad, Nishapur, and Kashmar, quickly spread to other cities, marking the largest unrest in Iran in the past eight years. Over the past nine days, more than 101 cities in Iran have witnessed protest demonstrations. At least 22 people have been killed in the crackdown on these protests so far. On Friday, during an emergency session of the United Nations Security Council, Nikki Haley, the U.S. Ambassador to the UN, also praised the Iranian protesters, stating that they need the world's help. Ms. Haley added: The Iranian government has now received the necessary warning; the world is watching what you are doing. In this context, Rex Tillerson had stated in June of this year that our policy towards Iran is to support elements within Iran for a peaceful change and transition of power, and as we know, those elements are present. In this context, Tillerson announced discussions about the U.S. remaining in the JCPOA. Tillerson: Our dispute is not with the people of Iran; our disagreements are with the revolutionary regime. The Speaker of the House of Representatives emphasized the importance of supporting peaceful protests in Iran.