MILWAUKEE — President Donald Trump continued his threats to Iran during a press conference at the White House on Monday, stating that Iranian civilians do not want the U.S. military to back down.
"Bombs that are dropping near their homes. Please keep bombing. Do it. And, these are people that are living where the bombs are exploding. And when we leave, and we're not hitting those areas, they're saying please come back, come back, come back!" Trump said.
TMJ4's Ryan Jenkins met up with Zara Fakhri, who is part of the Iranian Students Association at UW-Milwaukee, to ask whether the president's account of the feelings of Iranians sounds correct.
Watch: Trump's threats to Iran: Milwaukee Iranian student backs tough stance, local drivers face high gas prices
"It sounds correct to most Iranians because our priority is to remove the Islamic regime from power, because living under the Islamic regime is to make it feel like you're living under a constant war," Fakhri said.
"It's a really critical moment for all of us outside. We do not have any access to our family, our relatives, our loved ones. That's something that I can not put into words," Fakhri said.
The president is doubling down on demands for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, through which one-fifth of the world's oil flows.
Rising fuel prices are arguably one of the most obvious impacts of the war on Americans so far.
TMJ4's Ryan Jenkins stopped at several gas stations in the Milwaukee area on Monday and spoke with drivers about the rising cost of gas.
"I mean, they're just a lot higher than anyone wants, really," Wes Ziel said.
"Usually it takes like $30 to $35 to fill up. Then it's been going up to $45 and $50," Aaron James said.
Some drivers Jenkins spoke with on Monday say Trump should tone down the rhetoric to reach a resolution.
"I guess you can say I'll bomb this or I'll bomb that, but whether that convinces anyone in Iran. I don't think so," Dennis Jesmok said.
Fakhri says a calmer rhetoric may not be the answer.
"He has to be tough on the Regime," Fakhri said.
Iran has turned down a 45-day ceasefire proposal, saying it wants a permanent end to the war. It comes as President Trump set a Tuesday deadline for the country to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
"We're giving them til tomorrow, 8 o'clock eastern time, and after that, they're going to have no bridges, they're going to have no power plants. Stone ages. Yeah, stone ages," said Trump.
This story was reported on-air by journalist Ryan Jenkins and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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