Trump CAUTIONS
A vehicle burns as demonstrators protested high prices and the poor state of the economy in Dorud, in Iran's Lorestan province, on Dec. 30. SalamPix / Abaca/Sipa USA via AP
President Donald Trump put Iran on notice Tuesday, blasting the nation’s regime as "brutal and corrupt,"
and warning that America is watching how the protests that have rocked the country in recent days unfold.
and warning that America is watching how the protests that have rocked the country in recent days unfold.
"The people of Iran are finally acting against the brutal and corrupt Iranian regime," Trump tweeted.
"All of the money that President Obama so foolishly gave them went into terrorism and into their 'pockets,'" he continued, referring to the Iran nuclear deal. "The people have little food, big inflation and no human rights. The U.S. is watching!"
Trump's continued tweeting — he posted Monday that Iran was "failing at every level" and that it was "TIME FOR CHANGE!"— came as Iran continued to be roiled by protests by citizens angry about the nation's economic situation.The people of Iran are finally acting against the brutal and corrupt Iranian regime. All of the money that President Obama so foolishly gave them went into terrorism and into their “pockets.” The people have little food, big inflation and no human rights. The U.S. is watching!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018
At least 20 people have died in clashes between demonstrators and state security forces, according to Iranian state media. Hundreds of others have been arrested in the protests — the largest since the country's disputed 2009 presidential election — and some activists have taken the rare step of publicly criticizing the country's religious leaders.
Offering his first comments during the six days of unrest, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Tuesday accused the "enemies of Iran" of meddling in the country's affairs.
President Donald Trump put Iran on notice Tuesday, blasting the nation’s regime as "brutal and corrupt," and warning that America is watching how the protests that have rocked the country in recent days unfold.
"The people of Iran are finally acting against the brutal and corrupt Iranian regime," Trump tweeted.
"All of the money that President Obama so foolishly gave them went into terrorism and into their 'pockets,'" he continued, referring to the Iran nuclear deal. "The people have little food, big inflation and no human rights. The U.S. is watching!"
Trump's continued tweeting — he posted Monday that Iran was "failing at every level" and that it was "TIME FOR CHANGE!"— came as Iran continued to be roiled by protests by citizens angry about the nation's economic situation.
At least 20 people have died in clashes between demonstrators and state security forces, according to Iranian state media. Hundreds of others have been arrested in the protests — the largest since the country's disputed 2009 presidential election — and some activists have taken the rare step of publicly criticizing the country's religious leaders.
Offering his first comments during the six days of unrest, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Tuesday accused the "enemies of Iran" of meddling in the country's affairs.
How the US can respond in Iran 6:28
"In recent events, enemies of #Iran have allied & used the various means they possess, including money, weapons, politics & intelligence services, to trouble the Islamic Republic," he tweeted. "The enemy is always looking for an opportunity & any crevice to infiltrate & strike the Iranian nation."
A day earlier, Iran's reformist President Hassan Rouhani also acknowledged the seriousness of the protests, tweeting that "the authorities must pay attention to the people's demands."
The protests started out as local rallies against Iran's economic problems but have since spread in both geography and scope. Many Iranians expected that their financial situation would improve after their country signed the 2015 nuclear deal with the U.S. and five other world powers.
Under the deal, the country agreed to limit its uranium enrichment in exchange for sanctions being lifted. The economy has since improved — but there has been widespread anger that the benefits have not trickled down to ordinary citizens.
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