U.S. President Donald Trump issued a statement on Tuesday encouraging the ongoing nationwide protests in Iran, calling on demonstrators to “take over” the country’s institutions. The statement comes as Iranian authorities implement measures to suppress the mass demonstrations.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote, “Iranian Patriots, KEEP PROTESTING – TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!! Save the names of the killers and abusers. They will pay a big price.” He added, “I have cancelled all meetings with Iranian Officials until the senseless killing of protesters STOPS. HELP IS ON ITS WAY.”
The president concluded his message with “MIGA,” an acronym for “Make Iran Great Again,” but did not specify what form the promised “help” would take. This statement appears to support the overthrow of the Iranian government, representing a shift from the U.S. administration’s position a day earlier.
On Monday, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt had confirmed that diplomatic channels with Tehran remained open, noting that Iran was adopting a “far different tone” in private talks with Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff.
In a move to increase economic pressure, Trump also announced a 25-percent tariff on any country conducting business with Iran. This follows reports from a human rights group estimating that the crackdown on protesters has resulted in at least 648 people being killed.
While Iranian authorities claim to have restored control following several nights of protests, which have been described as a significant challenge to the government since 1979, rights organizations accuse security forces of using live ammunition. The government has also been criticized for implementing an internet blackout lasting over four days, which critics say is an attempt to conceal the extent of the crackdown.
