US President Donald Trump has warned the Iranian authorities that Washington is “locked and loaded” to intervene if the government continues to use lethal force against peaceful protesters.
In a characteristically blunt post on Truth Social, Mr Trump said the US would “come to the rescue” of those demonstrating against the country’s clerical leadership.
The warning comes after at least six people were reported killed on Thursday during a fifth day of nationwide unrest sparked by a collapsing economy and a sharp fall in the value of the rial.
‘Locked and loaded’
The US President’s social media post did not specify what form any American intervention might take, but the rhetoric has significantly heightened tensions in an already volatile region.
“If Iran shots [sic] and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue,” Mr Trump wrote on Friday, adding: “We are locked and loaded and ready to go.”
The warning carries added weight following the events of last June, when Mr Trump ordered air strikes on Iranian nuclear sites. Tehran responded to that move by launching a missile attack on a major US military base in Qatar.
Iran warns of ‘chaos’
Tehran has reacted swiftly to the threat. Ali Larijani, a senior adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, warned that any US interference would be viewed as an act of aggression that could set the Middle East ablaze.
“Trump should know that US interference in this internal matter would mean destabilising the entire region and destroying America’s interests,” Mr Larijani wrote in response.
While President Masoud Pezeshkian has struck a more conciliatory tone, promising to listen to the “legitimate demands” of the people, the country’s Prosecutor-General warned that “instability” would be met with a “decisive response.”
Bloodshed in the provinces
On the ground, the situation remains fluid and dangerous. Reports from the semi-official Fars news agency and human rights groups suggest the death toll is mounting:
- Lordegan: Two protesters, named by the rights group Hengaw as Ahmad Jalil and Sajjad Valamanesh, were reportedly killed during clashes with security forces.
- Western Iran: Three deaths were reported in Azna and one in Kouhdasht.
- Security Forces: Officials confirmed at least one member of the security forces was killed earlier in the week.
The BBC has verified social media footage showing running battles and burning vehicles in several cities, including the capital, Tehran.
A return to the streets
The current unrest began on Sunday, initially led by shopkeepers in Tehran frustrated by the currency’s freefall. However, the movement has quickly evolved into a broader political challenge to the 45-year rule of the Islamic Republic.
Chants against the Supreme Leader have become commonplace, with some protesters even calling for a return to the monarchy.
While not yet on the same scale as the 2022 uprising sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini, the geographical spread of these protests—stretching from the western mountains to southern provinces—presents the most significant challenge to Tehran’s authority in years.
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