After US-Israel joint attack on Tehran, Trump asks Iranians to ‘take over government’

Confirming the United States’ involvement in the strikes on Iran, US President Donald Trump sent out a message to the people of Iran — urging them to stay indoors amid the war, adding that when the war will be over — it will be for the people to take their government. “To the great proud people of Iran, Trump said, I say that the hour of your freedom is at hand. Take shelter, don’t leave your home, it is very dangerous outside, bombs will be dropping everywhere. When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take,” he said in an eight-minute televised video posted on Truth Social. “For many years, you have asked for America’s help, but you never got it… So let’s see how you respond. America is backing you with overwhelming strength and devastating force,” he said, adding, “Now is the time to seize control of your destiny and to unleash the prosperous and glorious future that is close within your reach. This is the moment for action. Do not let it pass.” Calling Iranian regime a “vicious group of hard, terrible people,” the US President addressed members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard and armed forces, urging them to either surrender or face death. “To the members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard, the armed forces and all of the police. I say tonight that you must lay down your weapons and have complete immunity, or in the alternative, face certain death.” “Lay down your arms. You will be treated fairly with total immunity, or you will face certain death,” Trump added. ## ‘Protect American people’ Trump announced that the US began “major combat operations in Iran” a short time ago, saying that his objective is to “protect American people by eliminating threats from Iran.” “A short time ago, the United States military began major combat operations in Iran. Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime, a vicious group of very hard, terrible people.” “For 47 years, Iran has chanted ‘death to America’ and waged an unending campaign of bloodshed and mass murder, targeting the United States, its troops, and innocent people,” he said. ## ‘Iran will never have a nuclear weapon’ Trump said that it has always been the policy of United States — especially during his tenure — that Iran must never obtain nuclear weapons. “It has always been the policy of the United States, especially my administration, that this terrorist regime can never have nuclear weapons. I’ll say it again — they can never have a nuclear weapon,” he said. He reiterated that in June last year, under Operation Hammer, the United States “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear facilities at Fordow and Isfahan. He added that he had warned Iran not to resume what he described as its “malicious pursuit” of nuclear weapons. He said he had repeatedly sought to negotiate a deal with Tehran, but claimed Iran refused. “We sought repeatedly to make a deal. We tried. They wanted to do it. They didn’t want to do it again. They wanted to do it. They didn’t want to do it.” “Iran refused (to make a deal) — just as it has for decades and decades. They rejected every opportunity to renounce their nuclear ambitions, and we can’t take it anymore,” Trump claimed. Instead, Trump said that Iran attempted to “rebuild their nuclear program and to continue developing long-range missiles that can now threaten our very good friends and allies in Europe, our troops stationed overseas and could soon reach the American homeland.” For these reasons, the US is undertaking a “massive” operation to “prevent this very wicked radical dictatorship from threatening America. “The United States military is undertaking a massive and ongoing operation to prevent this very wicked, radical dictatorship from threatening America and our core national security interests,” Trump said. “We are going to destroy their missiles and raze their missile industry to the ground. It will be totally again obliterated. We are going to annihilate their navy.” “We are going to ensure that the region’s terrorist proxies can no longer destabilize the region or the world and attack our forces.” “And we will ensure that Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon. It’s a very simple message. They will never have a nuclear weapon.” “This regime will soon learn that no one should challenge the strength and might of the United States Armed Forces.” ## ‘There may be casualties’ Trump acknowledged the risks involved in the operation, saying American service members could lose their lives. “My administration has taken every possible step to minimize the risk to US personnel in the region. Even so…the Iranian regime seeks to kill. The lives of courageous American heroes may be lost and we may have casualties — that often happens in war, but we’re doing this — not for now — we’re doing this for the future, and it is a noble mission,” Trump said. The strikes, which Trump said were ⁠aimed ​at destroying Iranian missiles and annihilating its navy, follow repeated US-Israeli warnings that they would strike Iran again if it pressed ahead with its ​nuclear ​and ballistic missile programs. “I do ⁠not make this statement lightly. The Iranian regime seeks to kill,” Trump ‌said. Trump’s comments come soon after Israel launched an attack on Iran, which it claims is a preemptive strike against Iran to remove threats to the State of Israel. A state of emergency was declared, Defense Minister Israel Katz said.