Washington: Protesters in Iran had been agitating against the Ali Khamenei regime for the economic crisis leading to inflation, currency collapse and unemployment.
Now, they are saying their government can’t solely be blamed for the death of thousands of protesters in recent weeks, US President Donald Trump is also responsible.
As an uneasy calm returned to the Islamic nation after weeks of unrest and a brutal crackdown by the authorities, a report compiled by doctors and cited by The Sunday Times suggest that at least 16,500 protesters have lost their lives. The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, though, put the death toll at 3,090.
Trump’s public statements had raised expectations, as protests against the clerical regime spread across the country.
The US President openly encouraged Iranian protesters and issued warnings to the Khamenei regime, assuring that “help is on its way.” Trump also thundered that the United States was “locked and loaded” if peaceful demonstrators were harmed.
An US strike on Iran seemed imminent.
The protests surged further, armed by Trump’s support.
However, Iranian government responded with an even fierce crackdown – shutting down internet, making sweeping arrests and reportedly opening fire on protestors.
According to eyewitness accounts, sniper fire and machine guns were used, resulting in mass casualties. Thousands have been reported dead or missing.
“Trump is responsible for the death of these 15,000. Because many of the protesters took to the streets when they saw his post that the US is ‘locked and loaded.’ The US must have made a deal with the Islamic Republic to betray Iranians like this,” a Tehran businessman told TIME magazine.
Much to the disappointment of protesters, Trump shifted course abruptly, and announced that Iran’s leadership had assured him that killings and executions would stop.
He signalled that the anticipated US military action would not go ahead.
“After he said the Iranian authorities had told him there won’t be any more killings and executions, everyone was just stunned,” said an Iranian who was interviewed after he left his country.
“Everyone was enraged; they just kept saying this b*stard used us as cannon fodder. Iranians feel that they were played, that he fooled them, deceived them.”
Another Tehran businessman said Trump is worse than Khemenei.
“He (Trump) screwed up. He pulled the rug from under our feet.”
According to another angry Tehran citizen, Trump is “not only yellow on the outside, he’s also yellow inside.”
