Photograph by Nathaniel St. Clair

If President Donald Trump cares in the slightest about Iranian protestors — and our country — he must not attack or threaten to attack Iran.

Doing so would be stupid and dangerous. It would likely strengthen Iran’s repressive leaders. It would risk the lives of U.S. troops and citizens and others throughout the region in what could easily become another endless, extraordinarily costly, and deeply unpopular war.

Iran has experienced unprecedented protests in recent days. Iran’s leaders have reacted by killing hundreds, perhapsthousands. Trump has responded by repeatedly threatening to attack Iran. “The military is looking at it, and we’re looking at some very strong options,” Trump told reporters recently.

This is counterproductive, to say the least.

Threatening to attack Iran, let alone launching actual attacks, makes it all too easy for Iran’s leaders to portray protestors as “terrorists” and agents of a U.S.-Israeli regime change operation. Which makes it easier for Iran’s........

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