Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley said United States citizens “don’t want military action” in Iran as mass demonstrations in the Middle East remain ongoing, resulting in numerous deaths, injuries and arrests.
The Iowa lawmaker’s remarks come on the 17th day of nationwide and global protests. Citizens have hit the streets, from Tehran to London and Milan, since Dec. 28 to denounce their government’s control due to soaring inflation and grocery costs, as well as record-low depreciation of their currency, the rial. Protests have sparked wider calls for regime change as criticism escalates against Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, while support has been garnered for Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s former shah.
“We don’t want military action,” Grassley said, according to Radio Iowa. “I don’t think it’s necessary at this point.”
Military.com reached out to Grassley’s office for further comment.
The longtime senator’s comments follow last week’s vote in the Senate to advance the war powers resolution, effectively working to block President Donald Trump’s orders for military force in Venezuela. That vote, which requires an accompanying agreement in the House of Representatives, could potentially be vetoed by Trump—who according to NBC News made “angry” calls to the five Republican Senators who voted with Democrats: Josh Hawley, R-Mo.; Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska; Rand Paul, R-Ky.; Susan Collins, R-Maine; and Todd Young, R-Ind. Grassley was not among them.
Trump Supports ‘Iranian Patriots’
The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, or HRANA, reported as of the 16th consecutive day of protest on Monday that 646 people had been killed, including 505 protesters (among them nine children), 133 military and law enforcement personnel, one prosecutor, and seven non-protesting civilian citizens. Another 579 other death reports are being reviewed.
HRANA said newer reports have emerged “of gatherings and slogan-chanting” by families of those killed at Behesht Zahra Cemetery in Tehran. The escalation has included a massive communications blackout reported to shut down internet access for more than 100 hours, as well as disrupt other communication channels including telephone lines.
On Tuesday morning, Trump wrote the following on Truth Social: “Iranian Patriots, KEEP PROTESTING – TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!! Save the names of the killers and abusers. They will pay a big price. I have cancelled all meetings with Iranian Officials until the senseless killing of protesters STOPS. HELP IS ON ITS WAY. MIGA!!! PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP.”
The new remarks come one day after Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran is “prepared” for war though open to negotiations with U.S. officials including special envoy Steve Witkoff.
On Sunday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said his government is “ready to listen to its people” but maligned the U.S. and Israel for trying to “sow chaos and disorder.”
Obama, Syria Comparison
Sen. Grassley said Trump “drew a line in the sand,” adding, “If there’s mass killings, there’s already been too many people killed, too many people arrested from my point of view.”
“I don’t know what the description of a mass killing is, but the president set that red line in the sand and that there’s going to be consequences,” he added.
Trump’s statement followed by inaction could be a situation of “crying wolf,” the senator remarked, comparing proverbial lines in the sand to Obama-era policies related to Syria.
“We don’t want it to be like Obama did in Syria, drawing the line in the sand that if chemical weapons were used against Syrians and Kurds, that he’s going to intervene—and he didn’t intervene,” Grassley said. “So, either the president shouldn’t make those statements, or if they do make those statements, then they should make sure that the consequences that they promised come about.”
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