“People are clamoring in the streets for democracy and prosperity, but we have a president who seems more interested in cozying up to authoritarian leaders and a Congress that is more interested in political bickering rather than uniting beyond the water’s edge,” said Mark Dubowitz of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a think tank that has pushed for the Trump administration’s sanctions against Iran.

It’s not an opinion unanimously shared in foreign policy circles. James Carafano, a national security and foreign policy expert at The Heritage Foundation, called the Trump administration’s Middle East policy “pretty resilient” and said the president is in a good position to handle future conflicts.

“The U.S. position in the Middle East is better than it was three years ago,” he said. “There’s still a ton to be done, but nothing to suggest the president needs to majorly overhaul his strategy.”

In recent days, the Trump administration has started to draw more attention to the protests in the region.

Vice President Mike Pence made a surprise visit to Iraq on Saturday, during which he was expected to discuss the protests by phone with Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi, according to an administration official. The trip came on the heels of Trump tweet on Thursday about Tehran’s move to shut down the internet amid the ongoing protests back in Iran. “They want ZERO transparency, thinking the world will not find out the death and tragedy that the Iranian Regime is causing!”

And Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Thursday directly appealed to the Iranian protesters, asking for “videos, photos, and information documenting the regime’s crackdown,” adding, “The U.S. will expose and sanction the abuses.” He then trumpeted new sanctions on an Iranian official over the internet shutdown.

....They want ZERO transparency, thinking the world will not find out the death and tragedy that the Iranian Regime is causing! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 21, 2019

But cracking down on the Iranian regime could cause Iran to lash out elsewhere in the region, analysts said, putting pressure on the U.S. to respond with more than statements and sanctions.

Iraq is one place where the U.S. is monitoring Iran’s violent behavior. In recent weeks, Iraqis have taken to the streets to demonstrate against Iran’s influence in the country, where Tehran wields power at the highest levels of the military and government. The situation has turned deadly, with the government’s Iranian-backed militias firing off tear gas and live ammunition, killing at least 320 people since the unrest began in October, according to The Associated Press.

Protesters are calling for a complete overhaul of the government in response to Iran’s influence, lack of jobs, rampant corruption and failed public services.

The protests “are not necessarily pro-American, but they’re very distinctly anti-Iranian,” said a senior administration official. “And we think that’s one of the most positive developments we’ve seen in Iraq in a long, long time.”

It’s unclear that the situation will ultimately benefit the U.S., though. In addition to the violent crackdown that has occurred, Iraq’s ruling parties are considering an Iran-blessed package of political reforms to try and address protesters’ demands.

The Trump administration has not yet signaled it will take any action to try and influence the outcome beyond public statements. Pompeo has said the U.S. is watching the protests “very, very closely,” adding, “we support the Iraqi people as they strive for a prosperous Iraq that is free of corruption and Iranian malign influence.”

The White House has not publicly said much about the protests, issuing only one statement earlier this month.

“It’s a great opportunity for Iraq, but obviously it’s a very dangerous time,” said the official. “It will be an enormous shame if they decide to embrace the Iranian repression apparatus that’s on offer to them and quell these protests violently.”