President Donald Trump warned Friday that the U.S. would intervene if Iran's government kills peaceful protesters, sharply escalating tensions as economic demonstrations across the Islamic Republic spread and turn deadly.
Trump said in an overnight post on his Truth Social platform that the U.S. military is prepared to act if Iranian authorities violently suppress demonstrators, signaling a willingness to respond forcefully should casualties mount. His comments came as unrest driven by soaring prices, a collapsing currency, and deepening economic hardship expanded from Tehran to cities across the country.
Senior Iranian officials swiftly rejected the warning, saying any U.S. involvement would trigger regional instability and draw a firm response. Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said on X that foreign intervention in Iran's internal affairs would lead to chaos across the Middle East and damage U.S. interests. A senior adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued a similar warning, saying any threat to Iran's security would be met decisively.
The protests began Sunday in Tehran after Iran's currency fell to a record low against the dollar, intensifying inflation and eroding purchasing power. Demonstrations have since spread to smaller cities and taken on an increasingly political tone, with chants directed at Iran's clerical leadership and Khamenei, the country's highest authority.
At least seven people have been reported killed nationwide, according to a human rights organization, while Iranian state-linked media have acknowledged several deaths among protesters and security forces. Videos circulating online show gunfire, burning vehicles, and confrontations near police stations in multiple provinces, though accounts of who initiated the violence vary and could not be independently verified.
Iran's civilian government, led by President Masoud Pezeshkian, has signaled openness to dialogue, acknowledging what it described as legitimate public grievances. Security forces have remained deployed in large numbers as authorities prepare for possible escalation ahead of Saturday's anniversary of the killing of Gen. Qassem Soleimani, a date that has previously coincided with heightened tensions.
Trump's warning follows a meeting earlier this week with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, after which the president said Iran may be attempting to rebuild damaged nuclear sites. Pezeshkian later said on X that Iran's response to any aggressive action would be severe.
