An official from Iran's Interior Ministry has defected and joined the ongoing protests, calling on United States President Donald Trump to take action against the Islamic Republic, according to a report by Iran International on Tuesday.
The official, whose identity is being withheld by Iran International for security reasons, credited exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi for his decision to defect. He stated that he acted in response to 'Pahlavi's call', encouraging officals to participate in the uprising against the regime.
While taking part in the demonstrations, the official reported witnessing the Islamic Republic's deliberate use of live ammunition against protesters. "The Islamic Republic is ruthless and will do anything," he declared. "The people have done everything they can to express their demands clearly," he told the Farsi-language site.
He described the protesters as facing armed forces without any means of defense and accused the security forces of using G3 rifles against civilians. He also warned that the patience of the Iranian people was wearing thin.
Additionally, he reported what he called de facto martial law in several provinces, with traffic tightly controlled, motorcycle units deployed, and armored vehicles patrolling the streets to prevent gatherings.
Iran waits for Trump's rescue
The official characterized the protests on January 8 and 9 as unprecedented in the history of the Islamic Republic and directly appealed to Trump to act on this momentum, stating that many Iranians were awaiting US intervention.
“People are waiting for Trump, and if he does nothing, widespread hatred toward him will emerge among Iranians,” he said, adding that he believed Trump would ultimately take action but stressed that expectations among protesters were growing as the violence continued.
Trump has repeatedly threatened US military intervention in Iran after officials there began violently cracking down on protesters. As reports of mass killings emerged in the media, Trump intensified his rhetoric about potential intervention. On Wednesday, January 14, he tweeted, “Help is on the way,” which was interpreted as an indication of impending strikes.
However, he later called off any potential attack that same week, citing various reasons, including reports that the Iranian government had canceled the planned executions of 800 protesters.
After calling off the potential US strike on Iran, Trump called for leadership changes during an interview with Politico, stating, “It’s time to look for new leadership in Iran.”
The Jerusalem Post staff contributed to this report.