&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Trump drops cryptic hints on Iran, says regime could ‘FALL’ amid unrest; says this about exiled crown prince Pahlavi")
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday (Jan 14) offered a cryptic assessment of Iran’s future, suggesting the country’s clerical government could fall under the weight of mass protests that have rocked the nation for the past 18 days. However, he stopped short of backing any single opposition figure to take the current President Masoud Pezeshkian-led government's place. This comes as Trump announced that he had been told Iran's security forces had stopped killing protesters. He also said that he would "watch it and see" before deciding if US military intervention was still needed.
Iran could ‘fall’
Speaking in an interview with Reuters at the Oval Office, Trump said it was “possible” the government in Tehran could fall under the pressure of weeks of unrest that have rocked the country and reportedly left thousands dead in a violent crackdown.
“Any regime can fail,” Trump said cryptically, adding, “Whether it falls or not, it’s going to be an interesting period of time.”
His remarks come as demonstrations across Iran have grown into the most serious challenge to clerical rule since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Rights groups say security forces have used live ammunition, mass arrests and near-total internet blackouts to suppress dissent.
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Will Trump back Iran’s exiled prince?
When asked about Iranian opposition figure Reza Pahlavi, the US-based son of Iran’s last shah, Trump was notably restrained. The POTUS said that the exiled prince “seems very nice”, but quickly added that he was unsure whether Pahlavi could command real support inside Iran. “I don't know how he'd play within his own country. And we really aren't up to that point yet.”
However, he said he would be “fine” with Pahlavi leading Iran if Iranians accepted him. "I don't know whether or not his country would accept his leadership, and certainly if they would, that would be fine with me."
