Several U.S. lawmakers from both major parties on Sunday questioned whether military action against Iran would be the best approach, as Iranian authorities face rising unrest, Reuters reported.
In recent days, President Donald Trump has left open the possibility of U.S. intervention in Iran, where the largest anti-government protests in years have prompted the Revolutionary Guard to blame “terrorists” for the unrest and pledge to protect the ruling system.
However, at least two U.S. senators voiced caution during interviews on Sunday morning television programs.
“I don’t know if bombing Iran will have the desired effect,” said Republican Senator Rand Paul on ABC News’ This Week.
Rather than weakening the regime, a military strike could unite the Iranian people against an external enemy, Paul and Democratic Senator Mark Warner warned.
Warner, speaking on Fox News Sunday, cautioned that a military attack on Iran could consolidate opposition to the U.S. “in a way the regime itself has not been able to achieve.” He noted historical risks of U.S. intervention, arguing that the 1953 U.S.-backed overthrow of Iran’s government triggered a chain of events that ultimately contributed to the rise of the country’s Islamic regime by the late 1970s.
