Iran’s protest storm is rapidly intensifying, with protests erupting in hundreds of cities and millions of people taking to the streets. On January 11, the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported that nearly 500 protesters have died and tens of thousands have been arrested.
President Trump later spoke to reporters aboard Air Force One, stating that in light of the Iranian regime killing protesters, the US military is considering “some very tough measures” to confront Iran.
On January 11, a reporter asked Trump if the Iranian regime has crossed his red line, as he had promised to take action against Iran if they killed protesters.
Trump replied, “They have started (crossing the red line). It seems (that way).”
“The military is considering, we are considering some very tough measures. We will make a decision,” he said. He added that he receives hourly updates on the progress of the protests.
When asked about Iran’s threats of retaliation if Washington launches an attack, Trump said, “If they do that, we will hit them with an intensity that has never been seen before… I have very strong options.”
On Air Force One, Trump also said that his administration is in talks with Iran to arrange a meeting, but he warned that with the rising death toll in Iran and continued arrests of protesters, he may have to take action. Remember, Maduro was arrested and told Trump he wanted to negotiate but Trump refused.
Trump also mentioned that he will soon be talking with Musk on how to make his Starlink satellite internet service fully operational in Iran as Iran has started implementing internet shutdowns last weekend.
The situation in Iran has drawn attention because of a recent unusual statement by Trump. He said that if Iran starts killing protesters, the US will launch a fierce, pinpoint strike against Iran.
The key point here is that he is not talking about nuclear weapons or terrorism, but rather about whether you dare to shoot your own people? This is like telling all authoritarian regimes: how you “maintain stability” is no longer just your domestic issue. Once you shoot at your own people, you may directly trigger American intervention.
More critically, not long ago, the Venezuelan dictator Maduro was directly captured by the US military and transported to New York for trial.
This sends a very clear signal: the US’ way of dealing with evil regimes is changing. It is not just about sanctioning countries but targeting the dictators themselves.
In today’s program, we will use Iran and Venezuela as two examples to see the changes in the US approach to dealing with authoritarian regimes.
Let’s look at what has recently happened between Iran and Trump.
Starting at the end of December last year, Iran’s currency depreciated sharply, leading to supply interruptions of imported goods, a comprehensive rise in prices, and triggering protests in several Iranian cities. The wave of protests quickly spread to all 31 provinces in the country, with protesters directly calling for the resignation of the supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei.
On January 9, Trump warned that if the Iranian regime starts killing protesters, the US will launch a fierce strike against Iran’s “vital points.” Pay attention to his wording; he did not necessarily mean deploying troops but hitting hard at vital points.
He sent a message to the Iranian regime, saying, “You better not shoot, because we will do the same.”
On January 8, Trump had already said something similar. If Iran starts killing protesters, they will pay a hellish price.
This is actually returning the decision-making power directly to the Iranian regime. Should they use force? It’s up to them to decide, with the consequences made clear. If they cross the line, they bear the consequences themselves.
This is a very calm but high-pressure approach towards authoritarian regimes.
Lastly, we will discuss how the US approaches authoritarian regimes, forming a new set of strategies.