Trump's Deputy: We Will Use All Economic Leverage Against the Iranian Government

Mike Pence, the Vice President of the United States, addressed protesting youth in the streets of Iran on Wednesday, stating that they should consider the United States their "natural ally" in their quest for freedom and democracy. He announced that the U.S. is prepared to take action in support of the protesters and will utilize "all economic leverage" against the Iranian government. On Wednesday, January 3, Pence conducted an interview at the White House with the English-language section of Voice of America and wrote a commentary on the situation in Iran for the Washington Post. The anti-government protests, which have spread to over 90 cities in Iran, entered their seventh day on Wednesday, resulting in at least 22 deaths and over a thousand arrests of protesters. "We are your natural ally," Pence said during his interview, urging Iranian protesters to see the U.S. as their ally. He added that the U.S. government is committed to long-term support for Iranian protesters, and President Donald Trump is prepared to provide more than just verbal support for these protests. Pence stated, "In my opinion, Trump's unwavering desire to support the brave people of Iran has given hope to those in the streets of their cities." Pence emphasized that this President and this administration are fully committed to placing all of the United States' economic weight and the burden of economic sanctions on Iran. He stressed, "My goal, and truly my prayer, is that the educated young population of Iran understands that the United States of America and our people are their natural allies. We would like to see Iranians achieve a free and democratic future. We would like to see them distance themselves from a regime that constantly threatens the world." Pence continued by stating that the U.S. believes current sanctions against Iran have been effective and can be increased. He remarked, "This President and this administration are fully committed to placing all of the United States' economic weight and the burden of economic sanctions on Iran." Sanctions imposed by the U.S. and Western powers against Iran have primarily been related to the Islamic Republic's nuclear and missile programs and the threats that the West perceives from these programs; Iran has always described the West's concerns about these programs as "baseless." The Vice President of the United States further criticized the previous administration's "silence" regarding the protests in 2009, reiterating his criticism of the Obama administration. He noted that in 2009, people in Iran protested "with incredible courage" in the streets, looking to American leadership that was absent. The Obama administration had always praised the courage of Iranian protesters during the 2009 protests, which were in response to the announced results of that year's presidential election in Iran, but critics have condemned Obama's "excessive caution" in providing practical support for that movement. In this context, Pence recalled that at that time, he was a member of Congress who proposed a resolution that was almost unanimously passed in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, emphasizing support for protesters in Iran, before the Obama administration began to support Iranian protesters. Pence also clarified that Trump's statements about supporting freedom in Iran "are fully aligned with America's role as the principal leader of freedom" and emphasized that the United States is also ready to take action in support of the protesters. Pence did not specify what these practical actions would be or when they would begin. However, he explained that "the United States and various countries around the world can do extraordinary things for the people of Iran; if the people of Iran continue to rise for freedom and demand change and throw away the radical ideology that has dominated their country for decades and has torn the world apart through the export of terrorism." An unnamed senior U.S. official stated on Wednesday that the United States intends to gather "actionable intelligence" about individuals and organizations involved in suppressing Iranian protesters to target them for sanctions. Meanwhile, Reza Pahlavi, the former crown prince of Iran and a prominent figure opposing the Islamic Republic, called for the U.S. government to encourage American companies to provide internet services to the people of Iran. Pence also criticized the European countries and the United Nations regarding Iran in a commentary he wrote for the Washington Post. He stated that the United States has "spoken plainly and candidly" about helping Iranian protesters, but unfortunately, many of our European partners, as well as the United Nations, have not yet made serious statements regarding the escalating crisis in Iran. Pence's remarks come as French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized the need to maintain diplomatic dialogue with Iran, stating that the official line pursued by the U.S., Israel, and Saudi Arabia, our allies in many respects, is almost the same path that leads us toward war. Meanwhile, Catherine Ray, spokesperson for Federica Mogherini, the EU's chief foreign policy official, has recently called for guarantees of the right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression in Iran. In his commentary, Pence noted that following the failure of the Green Movement, "many Iranians blame the United States for leaving them alone in their time of need." He added, "Today, the people of Iran have risen once again for freedom and opportunities, and under President Trump's leadership, the United States stands with them. This time, we will not be silent." This U.S. official added that the leaders of the Islamic Republic "fear more than their fear of the immense military power of the United States, their greater fear is of the people of Iran." According to Pence, "The President of the United States has refused to formally endorse the previous administration's nuclear agreement with Iran; an agreement that filled the regime's suitcases with tens of billions of dollars in cash, allowing this regime to suppress its own people and support terrorism around the world." Pence stated, "We have already imposed new sanctions against the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and the President is considering additional actions to punish this regime for its aggressive behavior and attacks on its own citizens." Pence concluded, "As the President said, repressive regimes cannot endure forever."