Trump says Iranians won't rise up because 'they're being shot'
President Donald Trump does not believe the Iranian public is currently capable of rising up against their government due to overwhelming violence, but he would not say if he would materially assist dissident groups.
TL;DR
- President Trump believes the Iranian public is not rising up due to government violence.
- He stated that it would be inappropriate to comment on whether the U.S. would materially aid Iranian protesters.
- Trump referenced a rhetorical post asking 'when are the Iranian people going to rise up and fight?'
- He mentioned Operation Epic Fury, an assault on Iranian leadership and military infrastructure launched in February after protests were quashed.
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio echoed Trump's stance against further negotiations.
- The White House appears to be relying on economic despair and political instability to incite a popular uprising.
- Ali Safavi, of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, believes the overthrow of the regime depends on a popular uprising and an organized resistance movement.
- Alan Eyre, of the Middle East Institute, expressed skepticism about the U.S. being able to engineer regime change from the outside and warned of potential chaos as an alternative to the current regime.
- Sen. Ted Cruz has urged Trump to furnish weapons for dissident forces in Iran.