On Wednesday, January 28, US Secretary of State Rubiow stated during a hearing at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that the core challenges facing the Iranian regime still persist. Due to their failure to address the fundamental demands of the people, protests in Iran are likely to surge once again. Rubiow also elucidated the reasons leading to the collapse of the Iranian economy at the hearing.
Rubiow remarked that the Iranian regime may be “more fragile now than ever before.” Their core issue lies in their inability to address the protesters’ fundamental demands while their economy is crumbling.
“The reason for the economic collapse is that they use all their money and resources to manufacture weapons and sponsor global terrorist organizations instead of reinvesting in their own society. Additionally, they have faced massive global sanctions, leading to their economic and national isolation,” Rubiow said.
He added that due to the aforementioned reasons, the Iranian people demand that the regime stop allocating funds to weapons manufacturing and sponsorship of terrorist groups and “start caring for the people, lifting these sanctions. However, this regime is unwilling to do so.”
He emphasized that the “core challenge of the Iranian regime still exists. Although protest activities may have subsided for now, they are likely to erupt again in the future because unless this regime is willing to change or step down, they simply cannot address the legitimate and ongoing demands of the Iranian people who deserve better treatment.”
Comparing the situations in Iran and Venezuela, Rubiow noted that the situation in Iran is “much more complex,” urging the US government to carefully consider its actions. He hinted that the US, when deemed necessary, would preemptively strike Iran to protect US troops, military facilities, and allies stationed in the region.
Iran recently witnessed massive protest demonstrations. The existential crisis has intensified the Iranian people’s desire for a change in regime. The protests, initially confined to Tehran, rapidly spread to over 180 cities nationwide. Authorities ordered security forces to open fire on civilians, resulting in the deaths of thousands.
During Wednesday’s hearing, Rubiow denounced the regime’s shooting of civilians as “terroristic.” He stated that if Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei were to step down, no one currently knows who would assume control of Iran.
As Iran’s threats escalate, the US Navy’s Lincoln carrier strike group has arrived in the Middle East on standby, while the US Central Command’s Air Force is conducting preparedness exercises.
US President Trump posted on his social media platform “Truth Social” on Wednesday, stating that a massive fleet led by the powerful “Abraham Lincoln” aircraft carrier is sailing towards Iran. The operation is swift, imposing, and with a clear objective. The President urged Iran to return to the negotiation table to reach an agreement on nuclear weapons; otherwise, the next US strike will be more intense than the one in June last year.