Amid ongoing protests in Iran, US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that the United States is ready to help Iran gain freedom from the government led by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said Iran was “looking at freedom, perhaps like never before," and added that the US stood ready to help.
According to reports, the Trump administration is preparing preliminary plans for a possible attack on Iran. The New York Post, citing The Wall Street Journal, said officials are discussing how to respond to Trump’s recent threats against the Islamic Republic. One option under consideration is a large-scale airstrike campaign targeting several Iranian military sites.
However, officials said no final decision has been taken. No US military equipment or personnel have been moved, and sources stressed that such planning is routine.
Trump has warned Iran against continuing to kill protesters. On Friday, he cautioned Iranian authorities not to open fire, saying the US would respond if they did. His remarks followed growing concern in Washington over Iran’s handling of nationwide protests.
The United States has previously carried out strikes on Iranian territory. In June, US forces dropped at least six bunker-buster bombs on three sites, including the Fordow nuclear enrichment facility. The site is located deep underground, nearly 300 feet beneath a mountain.
These strikes followed Iranian threats to use nuclear capabilities against Israel during their 12-day conflict and were coordinated with Israeli attacks on Iran’s military infrastructure.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei strongly criticised the United States and President Trump. He accused Trump of having “hands stained with the blood of Iranians" and said the US president should focus on problems in his own country. Khamenei also claimed that protesters were acting to please the US.
Iranian authorities have intensified their crackdown on protests across the country. At least 65 people have been reported dead so far, including 50 protesters. Officials have warned that anyone helping protesters will be treated as an “enemy of God," a charge that can carry the death penalty.
There are growing fears that the actual number of deaths could be much higher, possibly exceeding 200.
Source: News18