Washington, D.C., January 8: Republican Senator Lindsey Graham on Thursday delivered a forceful warning to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, asserting that US President Donald Trump would take lethal action against the regime if it continued to harm its citizens amid widespread protests across several Iranian provinces.
In an interview with Fox News, Graham voiced support for demonstrators protesting economic hardship, inflation, and government policies, stating, “To the People of Iran, we stand with you tonight. We stand for you taking back your country from the Ayatollah, who kills you and terrorises the world. We pray for you. We support you. Donald J. Trump is not Barack Obama. He has your back.”
Addressing Khamenei directly, Graham warned, “To the Ayatollah: you need to understand, if you keep killing your people who are demanding a better life, Donald J. Trump is going to kill you. To the Ayatollah and his thugs: if you keep killing your people in defiance of President Trump, you are going to wake up dead.”
The remarks follow heightened tensions after President Trump threatened US intervention during the Iranian protests, stating on Truth Social that Washington was “locked and loaded” to respond should authorities violently suppress peaceful demonstrators. Reports indicate that some protests have escalated into deadly clashes with security forces, with demonstrators throwing stones and setting vehicles on fire.
Graham’s statements come amid broader US foreign policy activity in Latin America, including a recent “large-scale strike” in Caracas that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. Both are facing trial in the Southern District of New York on charges of alleged drug trafficking and narco-terrorism conspiracies. Following their capture, Vice President Delcy Rodriguez assumed the role of acting president.
In addition to Iran, Graham issued warnings to Cuba, declaring that “help is on the way” to support citizens there, echoing concerns expressed by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in the wake of events in Venezuela. (ANI)
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