On Saturday, the Iranian regime finally confessed to what we knew all along: they shot down that Ukranian jet. And Iranian students took to the the streets in a rage.

At first the Ayatollah Ali Khameni and President Hassan Rouhani claimed they had no idea how that airliner crashed. Khameni even said he ordered subordinates to be “honest” about the accident, which is about as believable as, well . . . that Epstein killed himself.

When the Iranian military finally admitted that yes, they shot down Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752, they first blamed its crew. They had mistakenly made a sharp turn over a sensitive military base, and in turn the Iranians needed to respond with force. Yeah, yeah, that’s the ticket!

However, Ukrainians didn’t buy that for a second. Not only that, but they also blasted Iran for allowing commercial flights during an emergency, as well as disregarding universal post-crash protocol by bulldozing debris from the wreckage.

Finally Iran admitted the dirty truth: someone intentionally shot down that airliner. According to Gen. Amir Ali Hajizedeh of the hardline Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps:

“The plane was flying in its normal direction without any error and everybody was doing their job correctly. If there was a mistake, it was made by one of our members.”

Protestors also chanted:

“Soleimani was a murderer, his Leader is also a murderer!”

And at Sharif University, Iranian students also chanted:

“Don’t call us traitors, you’re the treason, oppressor!”

“All these years of crime, death to this state!”

“Khamenei is a murderer, his state is illegitimate!”

“The Revolutionary Guards commit crime, the Leader protects them!”

Even more amazing, students at Shaheed Behesti University refused to step on flags of the United States and Israel — whom the mullahs have called the “Great Satan” and “Little Satan.” They also heaped shame upon those who dared to walk on the painted flags.

Shahid Beheshti university students in Tehran REFUSE to walk on the US and Israeli flags. pic.twitter.com/XfxtLPrP5u

— Imam of Peace (@Imamofpeace) January 12, 2020

But students aren’t the only ones speaking out against the Islamic tyrants in Tehran. Iranian Parliament member Hamideh Zarabadi said that Iran should hold a state funeral for each of the victims. He also suggested they build coffins and write “80 million times, damn to war” on each one.

Moreover, the Abdorrahman Boroumand Center, a group which promotes human rights in Iran, called for more protests on Sunday:

“Iranians are calling for mass mourning rallies tomorrow, Sunday in every Iranian city after authorities admitted to shooting down a plane of 176 people, mostly Iranian.”

But what does President Trump say about all this? Did he go silent, like Barack Obama did during the Green Revolution in Iran in 2009?

No, he did not. In fact, he became to the first president to issue a tweet in the Persian language of Farsi.

Translated from Persian: To the brave, long-suffering people of Iran: I've stood with you since the beginning of my Presidency, and my Administration will continue to stand with you. We are following your protests closely, and are inspired by your courage. https://t.co/zCgAIhyZ0c

— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) January 11, 2020

Not only that, but he also followed up with a second tweet in Farsi, which reads in English:

“The government of Iran must allow human rights groups to monitor and report facts from the ground on the ongoing protests by the Iranian people. There can not be another massacre of peaceful protesters, nor an internet shutdown. The world is watching.”

Of course Trump stood up for the Iranian students and citizens. Unlike Obama, he doesn’t have a misguided nuclear deal that was supposed to seal his legacy, a deal that was more important to him than the freedom of an oppressed society.

Thirty-eight years ago, another U.S. President stood by a people who yearned for freedom. On Christmas Eve, 1981, President Ronald Reagan delivered a speech to the nation, addressing the Communist oppression of Poland:

“For a thousand years, Christmas has been celebrated in Poland, a land of deep religious faith. But this Christmas brings little joy to the courageous Polish people. They have been betrayed by their own Government.”

“The men who rule them, and their totalitarian allies, fear the very freedom that the Polish people cherish. They have answered the stirrings of liberty with brute force – killings, mass arrests and the setting up of concentration camps.”

Now free, the Polish people have not forgotten how President Reagan supported them. Today, in the city of Gdansk, a monument stands honoring President Reagan and Pope John Paul II, both of whom helped lead Poland to freedom.

Credit: LukaszKatlewa@WikimediaCommons/CC BY-SA 4.0.

Will Iran eventually become free of the Islamic chokehold which keeps its people in chains? It seems that all tyrannies eventually fall, and the theocratic rule of the mullahs is no different. While the Ayatollahs and their minions enrage those of us who cherish liberty, it’s inspiring to see Iranians — like the Hong Kongers — take to the streets to clamor for their emancipation. May it come soon. And thank you, President Trump, for standing up for those brave souls in Iran.

Featured image: Atlatla2@flickr/cropped/CC BY 2.0.