President Joe Biden vowed to "free Iran," and added the Iranian people will "free themselves soon."
His comments came Thursday during a campaign rally for Democrat Rep. Mike Levin at MiraCosta College near San Diego, California, NBC News reported. Audience members appeared to call on Biden to talk about the ongoing protests in Iran.
The Hill reported Biden's remarks came as some of the crowd inside held up signs that read "Free Iran."
Biden said: "Don't worry, we're gonna free Iran. They're gonna free themselves pretty soon."
The president's words drew a quick response from Iran where President Ebrahim Raisi spoke at a rally marking the takeover of the U.S. Embassy in 1979, according to NBC News.
"Iran was freed 43 years ago and is determined not to fall into your captivity," Raisi said.
Raisi added that Biden's statement was "probably due to the absent-mindedness that he suffers from."
Iran has been hit by protests since the death Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian who died Sept. 16 three days after her arrest in Tehran by the morality police for allegedly breaching the Islamic dress code for women, AFP reported.
It has sparked the biggest wave of unrest in the Islamic republic in years.
Jeffrey Rodack ✉
Jeffrey Rodack, who has nearly a half century in news as a senior editor and city editor for national and local publications, has covered politics for Newsmax for nearly seven years.
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