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Trump warns Iran over crackdown on protesters
US President Donald Trump has issued a stark warning to Iranian authorities, threatening military action if security forces kill peaceful demonstrators. In a social media post on Friday, Trump declared Washington was "locked and loaded" but provided no specifics on potential measures.
Iranian official responds with regional chaos warning
Ali Larijani, a senior adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, cautioned Trump against interference, stating US involvement would "destabilise the entire region and destroy America's interests." The exchange escalates tensions following days of violent unrest in Iran.
Protests spread amid economic crisis
Demonstrations erupted Sunday in Tehran among shopkeepers protesting the rial's sharp depreciation against the US dollar. By midweek, university students joined, with protests spreading to multiple cities. Chants have targeted Iran's clerical leadership, with some calling for Khamenei's removal and a return to monarchy.
Death toll rises as clashes intensify
At least eight people have died since Thursday, according to reports from Iranian state media and human rights groups. The semi-official Fars news agency and Hengaw documented fatalities in Lordegan, Azna, Kouhdasht, Fuladshahr, and Marvdasht, though identities of the deceased remain disputed.
"Ahmad Jalil and Sajjad Valamanesh were protesters killed in Lordegan," Hengaw stated, contradicting official claims that security forces had also suffered casualties.
Social media footage verified by BBC Persian showed burning vehicles and confrontations between demonstrators and authorities. A burial ceremony in Kouhdasht on Friday descended into clashes after mourners resisted security forces attempting to control the procession.
Government response mixed
President Masoud Pezeshkian acknowledged protesters' "legitimate demands" but stopped short of condemning the crackdown. Meanwhile, Prosecutor-General Mohammad Movahedi-Azad vowed a "decisive response" to any attempts at destabilisation, framing the unrest as a threat to national security.
Historical context fuels tensions
Trump's warning follows a pattern of US-Iran confrontation under his administration. In June, Washington conducted strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, a move US officials claimed delayed Tehran's weapons program-a claim Iran rejected. Iran retaliated with a missile attack on a US military base in Qatar.
The current protests, while significant, have not matched the scale of 2022's nationwide uprising triggered by the death of Mahsa Amini in morality police custody.
