Biden says ‘we’re gonna free Iran’ at campaign stop in California

President Biden on Thursday vowed to “free Iran” during a campaign rally in San Diego, adding that citizens of the country will free themselves soon.

“Don’t worry, we’re gonna free Iran. They’re gonna free themselves pretty soon,” Biden said at a political event for Rep. Mike Levin (D-Calif.).

The president was in San Diego during a swing out West less than a week before the midterm elections.

His comment came as people at the rally held up “free Iran” signs on their phones and an Iranian freedom protest was taking place outside of the event.

The president was talking about his administration’s work to improve veterans’ health care and touting legislation he signed that will expand benefits for millions of veterans who were exposed to toxins during service in Iraq and Afghanistan and are suffering illnesses as a result.

Iranian women have been protesting the government following the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman who was arrested by the country’s “morality police” over a month ago.

Biden has condemned the violence against protesters in Iran and warned that the U.S. would impose further costs on perpetrators of the violence. The White House has also said that the U.S. is holding accountable Iranian officials and entities such as the morality police, the government’s enforcers of the Islamic code of conduct.