Trump administration ‘must be changed’: Iran’s IRGC appeals to US voters | Donald Trump News

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has made a direct appeal to Americans, saying the US government led by President Donald Trump “must be changed.”

In a lengthy open letter (PDF) published Tuesday, the IRGC calls on Americans to “wake up” and “take back control from corrupt politicians.”

The message comes five weeks before the US midterm elections and a day after the US-Israel war against Iran was seven months old.

“The time has come, because the American political system is at its weakest,” the IRGC said.

Addressed to the “honorable people of the United States of America,” the letter accuses the Trump administration of misleading Americans about the war, Iran’s nuclear program and control of the Strait of Hormuz.

It also declares Iran the winner of the war, arguing that the United States has failed to achieve any of its stated goals, including curtailing Iran’s nuclear program.

“The United States and Israel have expended thousands of bombs and missiles, striking government and residential buildings, dozens of less advanced and lower-level weapons manufacturing facilities, and a number of decommissioned military installations,” the letter said.

“Yet other than damaging several buildings linked to Iran’s nuclear industry and a limited number of air defense sites, they failed to achieve any of their stated objectives. »

The letter is careful to distinguish the American government from its people and seeks to draw parallels between the concerns of American voters and those of Iranians.

He argues that “both the Iranian and American nations are, in their own ways, victims” of “corrupt politicians” in the White House. “We share the same pain,” the letter said.

This letter is not Iran’s first attempt to reach out directly to Americans. Since the start of the war on February 28, Iran-linked media and online networks have used artificial intelligence (AI) to generate Lego-themed videos, memes and other short-form content in English to push Tehran’s message about the war.

The letter also offers an explanation of the “Death to America” ​​slogan sometimes used in Iranian politics, insisting that it is aimed at the American political establishment and not the American people.

“‘Death to America’ is a prayer for the eradication of the evil ruling elite whose seat of power is the White House,” the letter said.

“Big lies”

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, IRGC spokesperson Hossein Mohebbi echoed the letter’s message, accusing Trump of being a “inveterate liar” and telling “big lies” to Americans during his time in office.

He also argued that American citizens are largely unaware of the “misdeeds” of the Trump administration’s campaign.

“I feel like the American people are not aware of this reality,” Mohebbi told reporters Tuesday. “If they were aware of these realities, they would certainly think differently and certainly put pressure on their administration. »

Al Jazeera contacted the White House for comment but had not received a response at the time of publication.

Trump has repeatedly cited the threat of nuclear weapons as one of the reasons he launched war against Iran. But Iran denies seeking nuclear weapons and accuses Trump of lying about its uranium enrichment program, which he says is intended for civilian energy purposes.

“The enemy (the United States) knows that Iran is not seeking nuclear weapons,” Mohebbi said.

Mohebbi also objected to U.S. claims that Iran has lost much of its influence over the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for global fuel and fertilizer trade. Since the start of the war, Iran has restricted movement across the strait and the United States responded with a blockade.

“The fact that the Americans can succeed, at great cost, with considerable difficulty and high risk, in passing a small ship through the Strait of Hormuz under the cover of darkness… does not mean that the strait is open,” Mohebbi said.

However, oil exports through the strait have recovered, averaging about 13.2 million barrels per day over the past week, about 77% of their pre-war level, according to data from Kpler, a trade analytics company.

Trump has repeatedly claimed that Iran is “losing badly” and he recently rejected Iran’s proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz as “unacceptable.”

U.S. and Iranian officials spoke separately with mediators Monday as part of renewed efforts to end the war. Tehran said the day before that diplomacy was the only way to resolve the conflict.

But speaking to the United Nations General Assembly last week, Trump questioned whether he should “wipe out” Iran.

“I have an important decision to make,” Trump said. “Will a deal be made with Iran that will allow them to rebuild and create a country much bigger than it has ever been, perhaps one of the biggest in the Middle East or even the world? Or do I wipe out the Islamic Republic and do it quickly?”

He speculated that a deal could be reached “right after the elections” on November 3. The midterm elections will determine which political party controls the US Congress – and whether Trump faces legislative obstacles in the final two years of his second term.