Graham Calls for Arming Iranian Civilians in 'Second Amendment Solution'

South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham called Monday for a "Second Amendment solution" to Iranian resistance. He argued the U.S. and Israel should arm civilians inside Iran amid lingering Middle East tensions and the Trump administration's focus on regime change.

"I love the idea of a Second Amendment solution for the Iranian people," Graham told "Hannity."

"If I were President Trump and I were Israel, I would load the Iranian people up with weapons so they could go to the streets armed and turn the tide of battle inside Iran," he continued.

Graham's remarks echo others who see internal resistance as key to toppling the Islamic regime. Exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi has argued the regime is vulnerable and urged the world not to give Tehran "another lifeline."

"We don't need American boots on the ground," Graham said. "We've got millions of boots on the ground in Iran. They just don't have any weapons. Give them the weapons so they can rise up like we did to destroy this regime."

He said such action would mirror America's path to independence, when armed colonists fought British rule.

"The first thing the king does is takes the guns away from his subjects," Graham said. "The first thing a religious theocracy does is make sure that nobody can have a gun to threaten the regime."

Host Sean Hannity noted past attempts to funnel weapons to Iranian opposition groups. Some efforts were complicated when weapons were allegedly stolen before reaching recipients.

Graham's response: simply "do it again."

"I love the idea of empowering the Iranian people with weapons... to make the Revolutionary Guard's life hell," he added. "It's one thing to be bombed by America, it's another thing to have your neighbors shoot back at you because they're tired of being slaughtered."

Graham also argued that pressuring Iran's economy and controlling key waterways like the Strait of Hormuz could end the conflict decisively.

"If we can control the straits… it is checkmate," he said.