The US State Department said on Tuesday that American citizens in Iran should leave immediately and to consider leaving by land to Turkey or Armenia, if safe to do so. US President Donald Trump urged Iranians to continue their protests and said “help” was on the way, without giving details.
U.S. President Donald Trump has voiced his support for Iranians on the streets, threatening action against Iran if killings of protesters continue. Trump has also maintanted ambiguous language when asked about potential military involvement, not ruling the scenario out.
Trump was consulting with his national security team Tuesday about next steps with Iran as he looked to get a better understanding of the number of Iranian citizens who have been killed and arrested in more than two weeks of unrest throughout the country.
In Tehran and cities like Mashhad, Tabriz and Qom, demonstrators chanted against the government, banged pots and honked car horns in protest. (EPA Images pic)
Trump said he believes that the killing is “significant” and that his administration would “act accordingly.” He added that he believed the Iranian government was “badly misbehaving.”
But the president said he has yet to receive a confirmed number of Iranians killed in the protests that began late last month, saying he has heard “five different sets of numbers” about the death toll.
Since the protests began Dec. 28, 16,700 people have been arrested and more than 2,000 have been killed, the vast majority protesters, according to Human Rights Activists News Agency. The organization relies on a network of activistsinside Iran that confirms all reported fatalities.
“The message is they’ve got to show humanity,” Trump said of the Iranian government. “They’ve got a big problem. And I hope they’re not going to be killing people.”
The comments came after Trump earlier in the day announced he was cutting off the prospect of talks with Iranian officials amid a protest crackdown, telling Iranian citizens “help is on its way.”
Trump did not offer any details about what the help would entail, but his remarks come just two days after the Republican president said Iran wants to negotiatewith Washington after his threat to strike the Islamic Republic.
News Agencies
