Trump: We Are 100% Supporters of the Iranian People

The U.S. President says that since his administration withdrew from the JCPOA, widespread protests and demonstrations have occurred in Iran. Donald Trump says the U.S. government is 100% in support of the Iranian people.

The President of the United States, on July 16, participated in an interview with Fox News after meeting and discussing with his Russian counterpart. Part of this interview focused on Iran, Russia-Iran relations, and the nuclear agreement.

Donald Trump says Vladimir Putin “probably wants to keep the JCPOA because it’s good for Russia… and for many countries that do business with Iran, but for this country (America) and ultimately for the whole world, it’s not a good thing”.

He then refers to the economic situation and protests and demonstrations in Iran, saying: “They have uprisings in all the cities. Inflation has taken hold; not that you want to hurt anyone except the regime (ruling Iran). We will show the people of Iran that we are 100% in support of them”.

The U.S. President says there have been protests and demonstrations in Iran that are “probably more extensive than any other time they’ve had them”. Trump says “all of this happened since I dismantled the [nuclear] agreement”.

Donald Trump, a staunch critic of the agreement reached during Barack Obama’s presidency, between his country, Russia, China, France, Britain, Germany, and Iran, withdrew from the JCPOA in May. At that time, criticizing the JCPOA, Iran’s missile program, behavior, and the conduct of the Islamic Republic, he said America would “impose the highest level of economic sanctions on Iran”.

Russia, along with other parties to the nuclear agreement with Iran, has sought to preserve the JCPOA and made efforts in this direction, although it is still unclear how effective these efforts will be with the return of U.S. sanctions.

In recent months, various protests and demonstrations have formed regarding the economic situation, political conditions, environmental status, or shortages and quality of drinking water in various Iranian cities. Protests over the economic situation in Iran took on a political dimension, with sharp slogans against senior officials of the Islamic Republic, Iran’s presence in other regional countries, or even support for the Pahlavi family being raised.

Donald Trump, the U.S. President, has stated in various instances that internal events and the conduct of the Islamic Republic outside Iran’s borders are related to his withdrawal from the JCPOA. For example, in mid-June, he had said that his government’s withdrawal from the nuclear agreement caused Tehran to change its behavior in the region.

Trump, last December, had said: Protesting citizens in Iran are fed up with government corruption, and that same month emphasized “Iran has failed at every level, despite the very bad nuclear agreement with the Obama administration. The great people of Iran have been oppressed for years. They are starving for food and freedom”. Mr. Trump had said in February during his address to Congress about the state of the nation that America stood “alongside the people of Iran in their struggle for freedom”.

The statements of the U.S. President, as well as his withdrawal from the JCPOA, have faced repeated criticism from Islamic Republic officials. Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson said “America, ignoring a multilateral treaty and UN resolutions, and even disregarding a broad section of American elite opinion, unilaterally and with a one-sided decision and with utmost self-indulgence, trampled an international accord”. The leader of the Islamic Republic last December accused America, Britain, and Israel of organizing protests in Iran and said the money for these gatherings was given by a “spendthrift” government in the region.

Trump’s withdrawal from the JCPOA has faced various reactions within America itself. Barack Obama, the former president, described this decision as a “mistake”. Several senior Democratic Party officials and figures also criticized the move and warned about its “dangers”. On the other hand, senior Republican figures and officials expressed support for it and praised it. Kevin McCarthy, the Republican majority leader in the House of Representatives, had said “this is what he (Trump) promised during his election campaign”. America’s European allies have supported preserving the JCPOA but have aligned with the United States in criticizing Iran’s missile program and conduct in the region.

Source: Radio Farda