Khaberni - The French Minister Delegate for the Armed Forces, Alice Rufo, said on Sunday that military intervention in Iran, which US President Donald Trump threatened over the backdrop of the Iranian authorities' suppression of protests, "is not the preferred option" for Paris.
Rufo stated in the "Le Grand Jury" program, which is broadcast on radio, television, and through Le Figaro newspaper: "I think we should support the Iranian people in every possible way, including talking about them as we are doing now."
She expressed regret over the difficulty of "documenting the massive crimes committed by the Iranian regime against its people" due to continuous internet blocking for more than two weeks.
She added, "It is up to the Iranian people to rid themselves of this regime, and it is clear that we stand with them now. Military intervention is not our preferred option."
The Minister Delegate continued, "This movement started from the bazaar and (against the backdrop of) the cost of living, but it has grown significantly. The Iranian people reject their regime, but the destiny of the Iranian people belongs to the Iranians themselves, and it is not our right to choose their leaders."
Trump has repeatedly threatened to strike Iran in response to the suppression campaign that human rights organizations confirm has resulted in the deaths of thousands. Last week, Trump seemed to back down from his stance, saying that Tehran had halted the execution of demonstrators it had planned to carry out.
The protests began in late December with economic demands before escalating and taking on a political dimension, posing the biggest challenge to Iran since its establishment in 1979.
Since January 8, the authorities imposed an unprecedented internet blackout, a step that human rights organizations said aims to hide a bloody suppression campaign that resulted in the deaths of thousands and suppressed the movement.
The Iranian authorities announced on Wednesday the first total death toll of 3,117, the vast majority (2,427) being security forces or bystanders, and not the protesters they describe as "rioters."
On the other hand, the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), based in the United States, said on Friday that it had confirmed the deaths of 5,002 people during the protests, including 4,714 protesters. It noted that it is still investigating 9,787 other potential killings.
The Iran Human Rights organization, headquartered in Norway, said it had confirmed the deaths of 3,428 protesters, expressing fears that the actual toll could reach 25,000.
