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Iran slams Trump's warning as dangerous provocation
Iran's foreign minister has denounced US President Donald Trump's pledge to intervene if Iranian security forces kill peaceful protesters, calling the statement "reckless and dangerous."
Trump's social media post sparks diplomatic row
On Friday, Trump declared on social media that the US was "locked and loaded" to act if Iranian authorities violently suppressed demonstrators. He wrote, "If Iran shoots and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue."
Trump did not clarify what form US intervention might take. The White House has previously conducted strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, prompting retaliatory attacks on American bases in the region.
Iran vows military readiness amid escalating tensions
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded by warning that Iran's armed forces were prepared to respond to any aggression, stating they "know exactly where to aim."
Araghchi also criticized Trump's domestic deployment of the National Guard, arguing that the US president should understand the need to prevent attacks on public property. He emphasized that Iran would "forcefully reject any interference in its internal affairs."
Protests spread as death toll rises
At least eight people have died in clashes during week-long demonstrations across Iran, according to reports as of Saturday. The unrest began in Tehran, where shopkeepers protested another sharp decline in the Iranian rial's value against the US dollar.
By midweek, university students joined the protests, which expanded to multiple cities. Security forces have engaged in running battles with demonstrators, with casualties reported in several regions.
- Two protesters, Ahmad Jalil and Sajjad Valamanesh, were killed in Lordegan, according to the semi-official Fars news agency and the human rights group Hengaw.
- Three deaths occurred in Azna, and another in Kouhdasht, both in western Iran, though Fars did not specify whether the victims were protesters or security personnel.
- One fatality was reported in Fuladshahr (central Iran) and another in Marvdasht (southern Iran).
The BBC has not independently verified the reported deaths.
Iranian leadership responds to unrest
President Masoud Pezeshkian acknowledged the protesters' "legitimate demands" but stopped short of endorsing their methods. Meanwhile, Prosecutor General Mohammad Movahedi-Azad warned that attempts to destabilize the country would face a "decisive response."
Iran's UN Ambassador, Amir-Saeid Iravani, urged the UN Security Council to condemn Trump's remarks in a letter to the secretary-general and council president. He asserted that Iran would respond "decisively and proportionately" to any US actions, holding Washington accountable for "any ensuing escalation."
Protests smaller in scale than 2022 uprising
The current demonstrations mark the most widespread unrest since the 2022 protests triggered by the death of Mahsa Amini in morality police custody. However, they have not reached the same level of intensity.
A police spokesman stated that authorities would not allow "enemies" to turn the protests into "chaos."
