In a post on social media platform X, the Kentucky senator declared: "I will not vote to send a single American soldier to Iran. Not one."
Paul, a long-time critic of foreign military interventions, previously warned the Trump administration against engaging in the Israeli regime’s war against Iran, arguing that "Iranians become more united in the face of Israeli attacks." He also criticised fellow Republican senators who have voiced support for U.S. military backing of the Israeli regime in its strikes against Iran.
The senator emphasised the grave consequences of war, stating: "I don’t view war as a game. Hundreds of thousands could die on both sides… We must consider what happens in Iran. Even if people are dissatisfied with their government, they may unite against an external threat or attack, strengthening their nationalism. In such a scenario, diplomatic solutions become far harder, especially if negotiations are seen as a cover for aggression."
The comments come in the wake of a recent Israeli airstrike on Tehran and other Iranian cities on Friday, 13 June, which resulted in the martyrdom of several military commanders, scientists, and civilians.
In response to the attack, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei delivered a televised address on Friday evening, vowing retaliation: "The armed forces will make the despicable Zionist regime regret its actions. God willing, they will act decisively, making life bitter for the regime, and there will be no leniency."
Later that night, Iran launched Operation True Promise 3, firing dozens of missiles into Israeli-occupied territories in retaliation for the strike.
Mojtaba Darabi
