Protesters in Iran have said that they feel Donald Trump has betrayed them after the US President reversed course and announced that Iran’s regime had agreed to stop killing its people in the streets. Iranian protesters saw some hope when Trump said that “help is on its way” and with the news that the Pentagon had ordered some non-essential personnel from its largest Middle East air base. However, when Trump reversed course, they were disheartened.
‘Iranians feel that they were played’
“He’s not only yellow on the outside, he’s also yellow inside,” an arts teacher in Tehran told TIME.
“After he said the Iranian authorities had told him there won’t be any more killings and executions, everyone was just stunned,” said an Iranian. “Everyone was enraged; they just kept saying this bastard used us as cannon fodder. Iranians feel that they were played, that he fooled them, deceived them.”
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“Trump is worse than Obama,” said a 40-year-old businessman in Tehran. “He screwed up. He pulled the rug from under our feet.”
These people were interviewed by TIME after Trump appeared to back down from carrying out a military action against Iran this week, which he had long threatened to do. He added to the uncertainty later after calling for an end to the rule of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Trump made a promise to the people of Iran in a January 2 Truth Social post, writing, “If Iran shots [sic] and violently kills peaceful protestors, the United States of America will come to their rescue. We are locked and loaded and ready to go.”
On January 8, millions took to the streets across Iran. This happened at the beginning of the Iranian weekend and following calls by Iran’s exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi, as well as other opposition groups.
The regime responded with violence, leaving “thousands dead,” according to Khamenei. People of the nation also lost internet connection, before the regime cut cell phone, SMS and land lines.
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The businessman said that while the attacks were ordered by the Iranian regime, “Trump is also responsible for the death of these 15,000.” “Because many of the protesters took to the streets when they saw his post that the US is locked and loaded,” he said, adding that the United States must have made a deal with the Islamic Republic “to betray Iranians like this.”
Iranians believe they are already living with the consequences of President Trump’s reversal. “It’s already martial law,” said a woman in Tehran. “Now, after Trump went back on his word, they’ve become even more brazen. I saw a checkpoint on Marzdaran Boulevard where they were checking the cellphones of people.”
“I’ve lost all hope,” she added. “Trump’s not going to do anything. Why should he? He doesn’t care about us.”
‘This is Trump’s usual pattern’
Some people, however, still hope that Trump might act. “My husband believes that this is Trump’s usual pattern, to confuse them [the Islamic Republic],” said the Tehran resident. “He says if Trump does not attack, how can the regime be toppled? Iranians are doing everything they can, but the regime is just too savage.”
“He is tricking the regime,” said an engineer in Tehran.
“He’ll attack, and attack hard. He’s going to go after Zahhak himself,” he added, referencing the name of the most evil character in Iranian mythology, used by protestors to describe Khamenei.
“There can’t be any other option,” he further said. “It’s different this time.”
Iranians say Trump ‘betrayed’ them, is responsible for thousands being killed: ‘He pulled the rug from under our feet’
