U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham Warns Trump Will ‘Kill’ Iran’s Leader If Crackdown Continues

U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham has warned that President Donald Trump would “kill” Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei if Iranian forces continued to kill protesters, as massive demonstrations against the regime entered their 12th day.

Protests and violent clashes have erupted in 111 cities across Iran’s 31 provinces, with at least 34 protesters and four security personnel killed, and approximately 2,200 demonstrators arrested, according to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activist News Agency (HRANA).

Speaking to Fox News, Graham, a Republican from South Carolina, doubled down on Trump’s threats from last week that the U.S. would “come to the rescue” if Iran “shotted (sic) and violently kills peaceful protesters.”

“To the people of Iran: We stand with you tonight,” Graham said. “We stand for you taking back your country from the Ayatollah, a religious Nazi who kills you and terrorizes the world.”

“And to the Ayatollah: You need to understand, if you keep killing your people who are demanding a better life, Donald J. Trump is gonna kill you,” he continued. “Help is on the way.”

The regime has escalated its violent crackdowns against protesters while officials have threatened Israel and the U.S., whom they accuse of instigating the unrest. General Amir Hatami, who commands Iran’s regular army but not the Revolutionary Guards, warned that the Islamic Republic would respond with a harsher crackdown than during the 12-Day War in June if “the enemy makes a mistake.”

Meanwhile, Iran’s top judicial official cautioned protesters on Wednesday that there would be “no leniency for those who help the enemy against the Islamic Republic.”

Eyewitness accounts and video footage circulating online showed regime forces, including mercenaries from Iraq, implementing military checkpoints, chasing crowds with motorcycles, and beating and shooting demonstrators. Protesters continued to chant slogans such as “Death to the dictator,” “Freedom,” and “Don’t be afraid, we are all together.”

Michael Doran, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, noted that Karaj—a city with a population of 1.5 million (predominantly Persian and Azerbaijani)—has fallen to protesters, marking the third major city the regime has lost control of.

Two shop owners, whose identities were kept secret for safety reasons, told The New York Times that regime officials had attempted but failed to negotiate with trade representatives to reopen shops in traditional bazaars across Tabriz, Isfahan, Mashhad, and Kerman.

According to Iran International, a call to action by Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi to attend central and unified protests nationwide on Thursday and Friday gained widespread traction online, signaling potential for more violent clashes in the coming days.