President Donald Trump tweeted support for protesters in Iran, appealing to them in their native language of Farsi as they lashed out at their government over shooting down a Ukrainian passenger plane with dozens of Iranian citizens among 176 passengers aboard.
On Saturday, Trump tweeted first in English and then in Farsi, “To the brave, long-suffering people of Iran: I’ve stood with you since the beginning of my Presidency, and my Administration will continue to stand with you. We are following your protests closely. Your courage is inspiring.”
به مردم شجاع و رنج کشیده ایران: من از ابتدای دوره ریاست جمهوریم با شما ایستاده‌ام و دولت من همچنان با شما خواهد ایستاد. ما اعتراضات شما را از نزدیک دنبال می کنیم. شجاعت شما الهام بخش است.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 11, 2020
“The government of Iran must allow human rights groups to monitor and report facts from the ground on the ongoing protests by the Iranian people. There can not be another massacre of peaceful protesters, nor an internet shutdown. The world is watching.” Trump’s message continued.
دولت ایران باید به گروه‌های حقوق بشر اجازه بدهد حقیقت کنونی اعتراضات در جریان مردم ایران را نظارت کرده و گزارش بدهند. نباید شاهد کشتار دوباره ی معترضان مسالمت آمیز و یا قطع اینترنت باشیم. جهان نظاره گر این اتفاقات است.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 11, 2020
On Sunday, Trump continued, saying, “To the leaders of Iran – DO NOT KILL YOUR PROTESTERS. Thousands have already been killed or imprisoned by you, and the World is watching. More importantly, the USA is watching. Turn your internet back on and let reporters roam free! Stop the killing of your great Iranian people!”
خطاب به رهبران ايران: معترضان خود را نكشيد. هزاران تن تاكنون به دست شما كشته يا زنداني شده اند، و جهان نظاره گر است. مهمتر از ان، ايالات متحده نظاره گر است. اينترنت را دوباره وصل كنيد و به خبرنگاران اجازه دهيد ازادانه حركت كنند! كشتار مردم بزرگ ايران را متوقف كنيد! https://t.co/rzpx3Nfn03
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 12, 2020
Finally on Sunday night, Trump concluded the fourth message in Farsi: “National Security Adviser suggested today that sanctions & protests have Iran ‘choked off’, will force them to negotiate. Actually, I couldn’t care less if they negotiate. Will be totally up to them but, no nuclear weapons and “don’t kill your protesters.”
مشاور امنیت ملی امروز عنوان کرد كه تحریم ها و اعتراضات، ایران را«به شدت تحت فشار»قرار داده است و آنها را مجبور به مذاكره می كند.در واقع، اصلا برایم اهمیتی نداردکه آیا آنها مذاکره می کنند یا نه.این کاملاً به عهده ی خودشان است، اما سلاح هسته ای نداشته باشیدو«معترضان خود را نکشید.» https://t.co/DBGGs8QFcJ
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 13, 2020
In response to Trump’s tweets, Abbas Mousavi, a spokesman for Iran’s foreign ministry, accused Trump of dishonoring the Farsi language.
Hands and tongues smeared with threatening, sanctioning and terrorizing the #Iranian nation, are not entitled to dishonor the ancient #Persian_language.
By the way, are you actually “standing by” millions of Iranians whose hero you just assassinated or “standing against” them?! https://t.co/sfmT0qLXJq pic.twitter.com/6IwJL1uYUh— S.A MOUSAVI (@SAMOUSAVI9) January 12, 2020
“By the way, are you actually “standing by” millions of Iranians whose hero you just assassinated or “standing against them?!,” Mousavi said, in reference to the U.S. drone strike that killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani.
Many protesters in Iran reportedly ripped down posters of Soleimani on Saturday.
