Trump did not rule out that Iranian authorities may be lying about whether Khamenei is alive

“I don’t think he’s dead,” Trump said, noting that his information indicated that Khamenei was seriously wounded on the left side of his body, including his arm and leg.

At the same time, Trump admitted that if Khamenei did die, the Iranian authorities could pretend that he was alive. According to the US president, Tehran continues to claim that it consults with the supreme leader and receives his final approval on important issues. Trump added that he does not trust Iranian negotiators.

In the same interview, the US President expressed skepticism about the possibility that mass protests will soon lead to a change of power in Iran. According to him, many are surprised why Iranians do not take to the streets more actively, but the protesters are in mortal danger.

“It’s very difficult to protest when there are people willing to shoot you and kill you. That’s why they don’t protest,” Trump said. According to him, it is enough for security forces to kill several protesters to force even a crowd of thousands to disperse.