US senator: Iran’s cleric leadership only understands strength

US Senator John Hoeven said Iran’s clerical leadership “only understands strength,” arguing that a US show of force was intended to signal to Tehran that “this is serious and that change has to happen.”

“There's only one thing that the Ayatollahs in Iran understand, and that's strength. And in the Middle East, there's an old saying, bet on the strong horse. And President Trump and the United States are the strong horse,” the North Dakota Republican told US media.

Hoeven described Iran’s ruling system as “the largest exporter of terrorism in the world” that oppresses Iranians and supports groups such as Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis.

“This is the kind of oppressive regime that the people of Iran are suffering under right now,” he said, referring to marches on February 14, when hundreds of thousands of Iranians took to the streets against Iran’s government across the world.

The senator also discussed the role of exiled Prince Reza Pahlavi and added, “Ultimately, it's got to be about what the Iranian people want for their governance.”

By Aghakazim Guliyev