Trump on Iran Protests: We are Watching; If the Islamic Republic Kills People Like Before, the U.S. Will Strike Hard

Donald Trump, the President of the United States, told reporters on Sunday that if the Islamic Republic "starts killing people like before, I think the United States will strike them hard." A reporter asked Mr. Trump about the casualties in the ongoing protests in Iran and mentioned that he said they were ready and armed. When will the U.S. intervene in these protests? Mr. Trump responded, "We will look into it. We are closely monitoring these [protests]. If they start killing people like before, I think the United States will strike them hard." The Islamic Republic has repeatedly committed mass killings of dissenting citizens in past protests. However, it now faces military threats from the U.S. President. On Monday, January 8, while speaking alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Florida, he said that the Islamic Republic officials "have a lot of problems. They have very high inflation. Their economy is in shambles. Their economy is not good. I know the people are very dissatisfied, but don’t forget that every time there is a riot or a group, small or large, they start shooting. They kill people. I have seen this for years. There is widespread dissatisfaction. 100,000, 200,000 gather, and suddenly some start getting shot. That crowd quickly disperses. I have seen this situation for years. [Islamic Republic officials] are ruthless people." Mr. Trump also published an article on his Truth Social account on Saturday, January 13, stating that Obama did not support the freedom-seeking protesters in Iran two decades ago, but Trump corrected that mistake. This article was published on the news website Just the News. Earlier, on Friday at 3 AM, Donald Trump wrote in a message on Truth Social that if the Iranian government "shoots at peaceful protesters and violently kills them - which is their usual practice - the United States will come to their aid." He added, "We are in full readiness and prepared to act." In an article that the President shared, it stated: "Years after leaving the presidency, Barack Obama acknowledged that he and his administration made a 'mistake' by not firmly supporting the uprising of Iranian civilians in 2009, which could have toppled the discontented clerics of that country." The article adds that President Donald Trump, "who faced a new protest movement led by street vendors more than 16 years later, took a completely opposite approach and welcomed ordinary Iranians with open arms, which caught Tehran's attention." This article, written by John Solomon, states: "The President was not very clear about his intentions, but Iranian opponents [of the Islamic Republic] and Trump's unofficial advisors encouraged this statement, saying it sets the stage for harsher sanctions and other actions by the [Trump] administration." The Islamic Republic is witnessing one of the most severe protests against its existence and is struggling for its survival, especially as it has lost some of its allies in the region and the world. In the ongoing anti-government protests in Iran, which began after the dollar price rose to over 140,000 tomans, several people have been killed by the Islamic Republic's suppressors in various cities, but the protests continue strongly. Iranian protesters are calling for the overthrow of the Islamic Republic in their slogans.