U.S. officials urge Iran to stop blocking social
The Trump administration  accused the Iranian government Tuesday of blocking or suppressing communications used by anti-government protesters and began laying groundwork for new international sanctions targeting alleged human rights abuses.
As the protests continued for the sixth day   the Trump administration  attempted to grasp whether discontent would spiral into a full-fledged uprising or be smothered in government suppression. The demonstrations began over economic grievances but quickly turned political as people in cities and towns around the nation chanted broadly anti-government slogans.
U.S. officials from the White House  the State Department and the United Nations hastened to respond  calling for Tehran to respect its citizensâ rights to protest peacefully while suggesting the government could be responsible for a death toll that rose to more than 20. In preparation   the administration  began rallying support for an emergency U.N. Security Council meeting that could condemn Iran or consider human rights sanctions on Iranian government officials.
The protests are presenting  President Trump  with a test of  his  vow to adopt a tougher posture in dealing with Iran than  his  predecessor did. The unrest also confronts the  Trump  administration with the dilemma of how far to go in advocating the demise of a clerical regime that has been a sworn enemy of Washington for nearly 40 years.
âThe people of Iran are finally acting against the brutal and corrupt Iranian regime â  Trump  tweeted Tuesday. âAll of the money that President Obama so foolishly gave them went into terrorism and into their âpockets.â The people have little food  big inflation and no human rights. The U.S. is watching!â
That was a reference to  the 2015 international nuclear deal negotiated under President Barack Obama  which Trump has called a giveaway to a thuggish theocracy and the âworst dealâ imaginable for the United States .
Despite protests from important allies and the opposition of key members of his national security cabinet   Trump  undermined  the deal  in October by refusing to give a presidential endorsement required by Congress.  He  faces another such decision this month  and is again expected to withhold certification and leave  the deal  in limbo.  He  may order new U.S. sanctions over human rights abuses in suppressing the protests  a move that would not require agreement at the United Nations.
The administration is casting its response to the protests as in keeping with its tougher approach and critique of  the nuclear deal  as weak and naive. U.S. officials are especially trying to paint a contrast between  Trump âs support for street protests and Obamaâs reaction to more overtly political protests in 2009.
White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders avoided a direct answer on whether the United States wants to see the Iranian government fall  or whether Trump would help toward that end.
Many analysts  however  believe Trumpâs increasingly harsh rhetoric is counterproductive and unlikely to have any impact on the ground.
[TGT] accused the Iranian government Tuesday of blocking or suppressing communications used by anti-government protesters and began laying groundwork for new international sanctions targeting alleged human rights abuses.
As the protests continued for the sixth day    [TGT] attempted to grasp whether discontent would spiral into a full-fledged uprising or be smothered in government suppression. The demonstrations began over economic grievances but quickly turned political as people in cities and towns around the nation chanted broadly anti-government slogans.
U.S. officials from the White House  the State Department and the United Nations hastened to respond  calling for Tehran to respect its citizensâ rights to protest peacefully while suggesting the government could be responsible for a death toll that rose to more than 20. In preparation    [TGT] began rallying support for an emergency U.N. Security Council meeting that could condemn Iran or consider human rights sanctions on Iranian government officials.
The protests are presenting   [TGT] with a test of   [TGT]   vow to adopt a tougher posture in dealing with Iran than   [TGT]   predecessor did. The unrest also confronts the  Trump  administration with the dilemma of how far to go in advocating the demise of a clerical regime that has been a sworn enemy of Washington for nearly 40 years.
âThe people of Iran are finally acting against the brutal and corrupt Iranian regime â   [TGT]   tweeted Tuesday. âAll of the money that President Obama so foolishly gave them went into terrorism and into their âpockets.â The people have little food  big inflation and no human rights. The U.S. is watching!â
That was a reference to  the 2015 international nuclear deal negotiated under President Barack Obama  which  [TGT]  has called a giveaway to a thuggish theocracy and the âworst dealâ imaginable for the United States .
Despite protests from important allies and the opposition of key members of his national security cabinet    [TGT] undermined  the deal  in October by refusing to give a presidential endorsement required by Congress.  He  faces another such decision this month  and is again expected to withhold certification and leave  the deal  in limbo.  He  may order new U.S. sanctions over human rights abuses in suppressing the protests  a move that would not require agreement at the United Nations.
The administration is casting its response to the protests as in keeping with its tougher approach and critique of  the nuclear deal  as weak and naive. U.S. officials are especially trying to paint a contrast between  [TGT]  âs support for street protests and Obamaâs reaction to more overtly political protests in 2009.
White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders avoided a direct answer on whether the United States wants to see the Iranian government fall  or whether  [TGT]  would help toward that end.
Many analysts  however  believe Trumpâs increasingly harsh rhetoric is counterproductive and unlikely to have any impact on the ground.