Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz said if Iranians had a genuine election, they would get rid of the "religious thugs" ruling their nation.

His comments came Monday on Fox News Channel's "Fox & Friends."

"Look, Iran is the most secular, democratically oriented group of people in the Middle East," he said. "They have been repressed now for so many years by the ayatollahs, if they had their wishes, if they had a genuine election, they would overthrow this regime of religious thugs and substitute a real democracy."

Dershowitz also slammed former President Barack Obama’s policies with Iran.

"I think president Obama made it clear that he was going to stand behind the Iranian regime," Dershowitz said.

"He was going to send them lots and lots of money. Of course, some it was their own money. And I think President (Donald) Trump has indicated that he will not stand behind the Iranian regime. It is failing. The people there are hungry despite the infusion of cash. They want a change."

But he noted the U.S. is limited on what it can do about problems in Iran.

"We can't do very much to bring about a change," he said. "At least overtly. One hopes that the CIA may be operating behind the scenes."

Meanwhile, state TV in Iran reported at least 12 people have been killed in protests over the nation’s economic policies that have spread to other cities.