President Donald Trump called on Tehran not to use deadly force against anti-government demonstrators, warning the Islamic republic’s leaders that “the world is watching” the Iranian regime.
In a tweet Sunday afternoon, Trump directly addressed the Iranian leadership, calling on the government to not only refrain from further use of deadly force against protesters, but also to restore internet access, which has been heavily restricted by the regime since anti-government protesters broke out last November.
“To the leaders of Iran - DO NOT KILL YOUR PROTESTERS,” Trump tweeted. “Thousands have already been killed or imprisoned by you, and the World is watching. More importantly, the USA is watching. Turn your internet back on and let reporters roam free! Stop the killing of your great Iranian people!”
In a follow-up tweet, Trump lamented his predecessor’s policies vis-à-vis Iran, pushing back against recent criticism of his own administration’s Iran policy by former Secretary of State John Kerry.
“John Kerry got caught essentially admitting that funds given ridiculously to Iran were used to fund attacks on the USA. Only a complete fool would have given that 150 Billion Dollars Plus to Iran. They then went on a Middle East Rampage!”
On Thursday, Kerry penned an opinion piece published by The New York Times in which he defended the Obama administration’s support for the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.
Kerry accused Trump of placing the US on a “path toward conflict and turmoil with Iran” by ‘abandoning’ the diplomatic track pursued by the Obama administration.