[ad_1]
President Joe Biden on Thursday vowed to “free” Iran, and said demonstrators working against the country’s government would soon succeed in freeing themselves.
“Don’t worry — we’re gonna free Iran. They’re gonna free themselves pretty soon,” Biden said during a wide-ranging campaign speech in Oceanside as dozens of demonstrators gathered outside holding banners supporting Iranian protesters.
Biden did not expand on his remarks or specify what additional actions he would take during the remarks at MiraCosta College.
The White House’s National Security Council did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Seven weeks of demonstrations in Iran were ignited by the death of a 22-year-old woman, Mahsa Amini, in the custody of Iran’s morality police.
The protests triggered by Amini’s death on Sept. 16 have shown the defiance of many young Iranians in challenging the clerical leadership, overcoming fear that has stifled dissent in the wake of the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
The United States on Wednesday said it would try to remove Iran from the 45-member U.N. Commission on the Status of Women over the government’s denial of women’s rights and brutal crackdown on protests.
Iran is just starting a four-year term on the commission, which meets annually every March and aims to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women.
In a 45-minute speech that boosted Rep. Mike Levin’s re-election campaign, Biden also cited various bills passed during his presidency
Biden lauded the American Rescue Plan, Inflation Reduction Act, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which included enhancing certain restrictions and penalties on firearms purchases, and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and focused on such issues as medical care, climate change and attempts to revitalize American manufacturing.
Biden also discussed the mental health challenges of veterans, telling the crowd of 1,000 at the college’s basketball gym his administration is working on that with the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Biden arrived at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar at 6:04 p.m. aboard Air Force 1 from Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he spoke about student debt relief and took part in a Democratic Party rally.
He exited the plane at 6:19 p.m., first shook hands with Gov. Gavin Newsom, then with the rest of the welcoming delegation that included San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, Levin and Rep. Scott Peters, D-San Diego.
Biden arrived at MiraCosta College around 7:10 p.m.
Levin, D-San Juan Capistrano, preceded Biden in speaking, drawing his biggest applause for saying people don’t want a second term for former President Donald Trump and that Congress should codify “a woman’s right to choose.”
Levin is facing former San Juan Capistrano Mayor Brian Maryott in Tuesday’s election in a bid for a third term representing the 49th Congressional District which straddles North San Diego and South Orange counties.
Levin defeated Maryott, 53.1%-46.9%, in 2020.
Biden is scheduled to speak late Friday morning at a San Diego technology company that will benefit from passage of the CHIPS and Science Act and more chips being made in America.
Biden is set to leave San Diego early Friday afternoon, bound for Chicago.
[ad_2]
Source link
