Donald Trump: I support the protests of the Iranian people, but I do not find it appropriate to meet with Reza Pahlavi under the current circumstances.
Donald Trump, the President of the United States, said on the Hugh Hewitt radio program that he does not currently see it as appropriate to meet with Reza Pahlavi. Mr. Trump’s remarks came after Reza Pahlavi announced his request to meet with Donald Trump next Tuesday. Hugh Hewitt, who hosts a popular radio show in the United States, asked Trump about the meeting that Reza Pahlavi had mentioned during a conversation that took place early this morning Eastern Time. Mr. Trump replied that he has been following Reza Pahlavi’s actions, and he seems like a good person, but he does not think meeting with him would be the right thing to do. Mr. Trump added that we should let the people come out and see who emerges. Hugh Hewitt, who dedicated the first three and a half minutes of today’s program to the situation in Iran, asked Donald Trump about the current protests in Iran. Donald Trump said, as he has stated before, if they resort to killing the demonstrators, it will be a severe blow. Hugh Hewitt said that dozens have already been killed. Donald Trump said that some of them have died due to crowd control efforts. We are monitoring closely. The crowd was very large, and some were trampled. In three instances, people were trampled, and some were killed. I cannot hold anyone responsible. They know very well, and I have told them in much stronger terms than I am using here that if they do this, they will pay a very heavy price. Hugh Hewitt asked Donald Trump if he had a message for the people of Iran. Mr. Trump replied that his message is that they should place great importance on freedom. There is nothing like freedom. You are a brave people; it’s a shame these things are happening to your country. Your country was a very good country. I remember years ago when I was young and in construction, my friends went to Iran and built buildings that still stand. I’ve seen their photos; they are residential buildings. Their work in Iran was very good. They have since passed away. They were excellent in construction. Most of them were from New York. They went to Iran and built very good buildings. I remember them saying that Iran is a good country with very good people and a huge market. But now, look at what has happened to it.