Need to Work With International Partners To Stop Violence in Iran, Says Krishnamoorthi

Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, an Illinois Democrat, said US sanctions aimed at squeezing Iran's economy are necessary as the Iranian government uses oil revenue to fund repression and meddling in the region. The Congressman also discussed affordability efforts and the potential for a deal on the extension of ACA subsidies, but said that any restriction on abortion would be a dealbreaker for him.

- US President Donald Trump urged Iranians to continue protests against the regime of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as activist groups warned that thousands may have been killed in more than two weeks of violent unrest.

“KEEP PROTESTING - TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!!” Trump posted on Truth Social on Tuesday, saying he’d canceled all meetings with Iranian officials until the killing of demonstrators stops. “HELP IS ON ITS WAY,” he added, without specifying what that meant.

At an event later in the Detroit area, the US president told reporters they are “going to have to figure out” his intentions, but that he encouraged US citizens and people from allied countries to leave Iran.

“I think they should get out,” Trump said.

The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency reported that at least 2,000 people have died in the Iranian upheaval, making it the deadliest wave of protests in the Islamic Republic in decades and the most severe threat yet to Khamenei’s rule.

Of those killed, 1,850 were protesters, 135 were government-affiliated, nine were children, and nine were other civilians not participating in the protests, the HRANA said.

The Oslo-based Iran Human Rights group earlier warned the “risk of mass and extrajudicial executions of protesters is extremely serious.” The organization said one demonstrator, 26-year-old Erfan Soltani, could be executed on Wednesday, less than a week after his arrest in the city of Fardis.

The IHR said the death toll could be more than 6,000.

Concern about the scale of fatalities is mounting as Trump moved to further isolate Tehran over the violence. His call on protesters to continue their campaign — which began late last year over rising living costs before dramatically escalating — followed his Monday move to impose a 25% tariff on goods from countries “doing business” with Iran.

That may impact a range of countries with trading relationships with the Islamic Republic, led by China, the United Arab Emirates and Turkey.

‘Final Days’

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz predicted that the Islamic Republic is in its “final days” and “effectively finished,” according to comments on Tuesday during a visit to India.

Iran’s government hasn’t given any figures for civilian deaths and the state broadcaster, which has an effective monopoly on domestic news services, has repeated official claims that “terrorists and rioters” killed scores of security forces amid a continued internet blackout.

In one video that’s been verified by the BBC as coming from a mortuary on the outskirts of Tehran, at least 180 bodies can be seen. HRANA reported that almost 17,000 people had been detained in connection with protests.

A video purportedly from downtown Tehran, near the city’s Enghelab Square, which has hosted pro-government rallies, appeared to show hundreds of protesters chanting against Khamenei overnight on Monday. Another video showed protesters gathering in Tehran’s main cemetery, chanting slogans.

Unrest across Iran intensified sharply from Thursday through the weekend, drawing hundreds of thousands to the streets, calling for the downfall of Khamenei. Despite a sweeping crackdown and state-organized rallies challenging the unrest, it remains unclear how long the calm claimed by authorities will hold, while the underlying drivers of the protests remain unresolved.

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