Iran’s government has denied reports that security forces fired live ammunition at protesters in Tehran, and accused President Trump of shedding “crocodile tears” with his message of support for the demonstrators. Videos purportedly show blood on the ground after claims that protesters were hit with live rounds in Tehran two days after Mr. Trump warned the Islamic Republic’s leaders not to “kill your protesters.”
Protesters have been denouncing their government’s belated admission that an Iranian missile “unintentionally” shot down a Ukrainian passenger jet last week, killing all 176 people on board. Officials denied for almost four days that Iran’s military was behind the crash, until a senior commander conceded Saturday — under mounting international pressure — that single low-ranking “operator” had mistakenly fired on the plane thinking it was an incoming missile.
The plane was struck over Tehran just hours after Iran fired about 15 ballistic missiles at Iraqi military bases housing U.S. troops. It was retaliation for the Trump administration’s targeted killing days earlier of senior Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad. Iran’s missile barrage caused no death or injuries.
Mr. Trump has defended the targeted killing and on Friday he alleged that Soleimani had been plotting attacks on four U.S. embassies, including the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. Mr. Trump is still facing pressure to provide more information about the imminent threat Soleimani allegedly posed, to justify the U.S. strike that killed him.
Defense Secretary Mark Esper told “Face the Nation” on Sunday that he “didn’t see” specific evidence showing such a plot against U.S. embassies, but said he believed Iran was “going to go after our embassies.”
