'Trump act now': Protesters demand US intervention in Iran amid anti-regime demonstrations

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Shouts of “Trump act now!” echoed through New York’s Fifth Avenue as hundreds of demonstrators rallied against Iran’s regime on Saturday, January 31, calling on the United States to intervene.

The protesters waved signs and chanted slogans aimed at Iran’s leadership, urging President Donald Trump to take decisive action as unrest continues to grip the country.

“We want freedom for the Iranian people,” said protester Sarah Shahi, as quoted by Fox News. “We want this theocracy that has been taking people’s rights away to be taken out with whatever means necessary. We need help when so many people have been killed.”

Protests in front of the residence of Iran’s ambassador to the UN

The demonstration unfolded across the street from the residence of Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations. Protesters called for the regime to be toppled.

The ornate 19th-century limestone townhouse has long served as the official home of Iran’s UN representative. The property was originally purchased by the Iranian government under Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the shah of Iran, who ruled from 1941 until 1979, and it has remained in diplomatic use ever since.

Protests at the location have historically been rare, but overnight someone spray-painted the words “te**orists” and “killers” across the building’s facade.

The townhouse sits in one of the Upper East Side’s most exclusive enclaves, diagonally across from the Metropolitan Museum of Art and less than a block from the former residence of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.

One protester held a sign displaying a photograph of current Iranian UN Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani alongside the words, “A te**orist lives here.”

“For the people of the Islamic Republic to be residing here is just so unjust,” Shahi said. “But it is the closest thing we have to an embassy” as a protest location.

Iran does not maintain diplomatic relations with the US, making the townhouse the only Iranian government-owned property in the country.

Calls grow as Trump weighs military action

The Manhattan demonstration comes as Trump has ordered US warships to within striking distance of Iran while weighing potential attacks against the regime’s nuclear program, oil facilities, and military targets.

The military buildup follows Iran’s continued support of te**orism and its violent suppression of dissent. Estimates suggest as many as 30,000 people have been killed for participating in anti-regime street demonstrations.

Many of the protesters are supporters of Reza Pahlavi, the son of the late shah, who has spoken out in recent weeks against the regime. Pahlavi has lived in exile for 47 years, since his father fled the country and the Iranian revolution ushered in a hardline, anti-American religious regime led by the mullahs.

Chants in Manhattan mirrored those heard in cities across Iran. Signs read, “End the regime in Iran,” and “Brave Iranians are fighting on the ground. The US and Israel must act against a common enemy now.” Other placards declared, “No to the Islamic Republic regime,” and “Make Iran Great Again.”

Protesters said they are waiting for President Trump to take action so the country can finally experience freedom.

Trump's 'legacy' on the line

Last month, former Iranian political prisoner Navid Mohebbi said Trump’s approach toward Tehran has created a rare opportunity for change as protesters challenge what he described as one of the world’s most brutal governments.

“This is one of those moments that, in my opinion, will be written about for generations to come,” Mohebbi said. “I think President Trump’s legacy is on the line here as well, and in the best possible way. I think his administration has a rare opportunity to redefine America’s global leadership by standing up with the people that are begging for freedom.”

Mohebbi added that Trump faces a legacy-defining chance to support Iranians seeking freedom while advancing US interests by “weakening a regime that funds te**orism, destabilizes the Middle East and threatens… global security, including President Trump’s life.”