Trump Warns Iran Against Cracking Down on Anti-Government Protests... "Do Not Kill Protesters" (Comprehensive)

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondents Baek Jong-min and Lee Hyun-woo] Anti-government protests are spreading across Iran following news that a Ukrainian passenger plane was shot down due to a mistake by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps. U.S. President Donald Trump has fanned the flames of anger among the Iranian public by directly tweeting warnings in Persian not to kill protesters, while pushing Iran to the negotiating table. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei blamed the United States for all problems and appealed that cooperation and counterattacks among Islamic Shia countries are the only solution.

On the 12th (local time), President Trump posted a warning on his Twitter saying, "Do not kill protesters." He emphasized, "Thousands have been killed or imprisoned by you, and the world is watching," adding, "More importantly, the United States is watching." This tweet was posted in both English and Persian. Trump further pressured the Iranian government by saying, "Turn the internet back on and let journalists move freely! Stop killing your great Iranian people." This is not the first time Trump has pressured Iran in Persian. In February last year, he wrote in Persian, "40 years of corruption. 40 years of oppression. 40 years of terror," stating, "The Iranian regime has produced nothing but failure for 40 years." He also wrote, "The long-suffering Iranian people deserve a much brighter future," revealing his intention to sway public sentiment.

Trump’s Persian tweets symbolically represent the U.S. intention to bring the Iranian government to the negotiating table. Robert O’Brien, U.S. National Security Advisor, said in an interview with Fox News on the same day, "Iran must have realized that U.S. pressure will not end and that it does not want a military confrontation with the U.S.," adding, "The possibility of negotiations with Iran has increased." Trump also supported this in another tweet, saying, "The National Security Advisor said today that Iran is isolated by economic sanctions and protests, and Iran will have no choice but to come to the negotiating table," adding, "Nuclear weapons are unacceptable, and protesters must not be killed. Negotiations are entirely up to them."

On the 11th (local time), a large-scale protest was held in Tehran, Iran, mourning the victims of the Ukrainian passenger plane shot down by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard's missile, while criticizing the government and the military.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

The Iranian government is in a dilemma. Immediately after admitting that the Ukrainian passenger plane was shot down due to a mistake by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, large-scale protests criticizing the government erupted nationwide. Since a significant number of the 176 victims on the plane were known to be Iranian nationals, public sentiment in Iran, which had turned anti-American after the elimination of Qasem Soleimani, commander of the IRGC Quds Force, has now turned anti-government again. Among the victims identified by the Ukrainian government, 82 were confirmed to be Iranian nationals.

According to CNN, in Tehran, the capital, protests led mainly by university students are demanding the resignation of Supreme Leader Khamenei, shouting radical slogans such as "Our enemy is here" and "Death to the dictator." Earlier, Amir Ali Hajizadeh, commander of the IRGC Air Defense Force, admitted the downing of the Ukrainian passenger plane and said, "I wish I had died instead," adding, "I will accept any decision made."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The Iranian government found itself in an even more embarrassing position after the incident where the British ambassador, who had attended a memorial rally for the plane crash victims, was arrested and then released by Iranian police. The Associated Press reported that Rob Macaire, the British ambassador to Iran, was detained by Iranian police while attending a memorial rally for the Ukrainian passenger plane crash victims in Tehran the previous day, but was released three hours later following intervention by the Iranian Foreign Ministry. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and German Chancellor Angela Merkel simultaneously condemned the Iranian authorities for the arrest of the British ambassador.

Despite protesters’ demands for resignation, Khamenei appealed for unity among Shia countries and shifted all responsibility to the United States. During a meeting with Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar, another Shia country, Khamenei stated, "All problems in the Middle East are due to the presence of the United States and its allies," emphasizing, "Counterattacks through cooperation among Islamic countries in the region are the only solution."

Abbas Mousavi, spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, also told President Trump, "(You) have no right to defile the ancient Persian language."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.