The Iranian regime is facing the “beginning of the end” as millions of expats stoke a revolution using social media, claims a US general.

In recent weeks, protesters have taken to the streets of Iran chanting “Death to the dictator” as the country is crippled by sanctions imposed by US President Donald Trump.

US Army chief General Charles Wald said the angry demonstrations could spell the end for Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and his tyrannical government.

Speaking with the Daily Star, he said: “The anti-government movement has increased in recent months.”

General Wald said the five million Iranians living abroad have played a key role in the protests communicating with relatives in Iran using encrypted messaging apps and social media.

He said: “Social media will change the world. This is the beginning of the end.”

On August 3, a young man was shot dead by regime forces in Karaj outside of capital Tehran while a large number of protesters were arrested, according to resistance units.

Two days later, demonstrators clashed with government forces across the city while chanting: “High prices and inflation, misery of the people.

“Death to high prices. Do not be afraid. Do not be afraid. We are all together. Honourable Iranians, support, support.”

They also shouted: “Death or freedom.”

The protests come after Trump imposed economic sanctions on Iran which had been lifted by the nuclear deal signed by Barack Obama.

Speaking with The Sun Online, Shahin Gobadi, a spokesman of National Council of Resistance for Iran, said disgruntled Iranians see revolution as the “only solution”.

He said: “The continuation and the frequency of the protests throughout 2018, despite the imposition of pervasive suppression and daily arrests and executions designed to intimidate the public, vividly reflects one reality.

“The growing sentiment among the Iranians that the only solution is a regime change by the people.

“The Iranian people and resistance units are more determined than ever to bring down the regime.

“The clerical regime is fast moving towards the precipice and the mullahs’ overthrow has never been so tangible and within reach.

“The world should realise this reality and should stand on the side of the Iranian people on their quest for freedom and democracy.”

The regime has blamed the US-backed Gulf states for a terror attack on a military parade on Saturday which killed 25 people.

Why are there tensions between the US and Iran?

Before the 1979 Iranian revolution, Iran was one of America’s biggest allies in the troubled Middle East and was led by the US-backed Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi.

However, since the seismic revolt, Iran has been led by murderous Islamic fundamentalists and tensions with Washington have remained ever since.

On November 4, 1979, the Iranian regime took 52 US diplomats hostage in response to President Carter’s administration allowing Iran’s deposed former leader into America.

The hostage crisis lasted for 444 days and also included a failed rescue mission which cost the lives of eight US soldiers.

In April 1980, the US ended diplomatic relations with Iran – a break which lasted for more than 30 years.

In April 1983, Washington blamed the Iranian-funded terror group Hezbollah for carrying out a bombing attack on the American embassy in Beirut, Lebanon.

The assault, carried out amid a brutal civil war in Lebanon, killed 17 Americans.

In November of that year, two truck bombs in Beruit killed 241 US peace keepers. The US again blamed Hezbollah for the incident.

The Clinton White House, in 1995, placed a total embargo on Iran meaning US companies could not trade with the country.

And in 2002, George W Bush included the Islamic Republic in his famous “Axis of evil” speech along with North Korea and Iraq.

Source » thesun