Trump Vows New Support for Iranian People

U.S. President Donald Trump promised new support for the Iranian people Wednesday, even as Iran's state media reported that tens of thousands of pro-government demonstrators staged rallies across the country after days of anti-government protests.

"Such respect for the people of Iran as they try to take back their corrupt government," Trump said in a Twitter comment. "You will see great support from the United States at the appropriate time!" It was not immediately clear what assistance Trump had in mind.

Iranian state television Wednesday showed video of crowds waving Iranian flags and chanting in support of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

"Leader, we are ready," some chanted in the cities of Qom, Ahvaz, Kermanshah and elsewhere. Placards read, "Death to seditionists."

Official and semi-official media offered no new reports of anti-regime protests, which have claimed 21 lives in the last week.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani expressed hope in a phone call with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that the protests would end in a few days, a Turkish presidential source said.

After Trump's comments, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said, "Instead of wasting his time sending useless and insulting tweets regarding other countries, he would be better off seeing to the domestic issues of his own country, such as daily killings of dozens of people...and the existence of millions of homeless and hungry people."

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