At a Glance
- Donald Trump threatens Iran after protests.
- Iranian officials accuse U.S. and Israel of stoking unrest.
- Protests, sparked by a collapsed rial, have killed at least seven.
- Why it matters: Rising tensions threaten regional stability as U.S. and Iranian leaders clash amid domestic unrest.
In the midst of a nationwide wave of demonstrations, the United States and Iran have exchanged sharp statements that could heighten an already volatile situation. President Donald Trump warned Iran on Truth Social that the U.S. would intervene if the country violently killed protesters, while Iranian officials on X accused Washington and Israel of inflaming the unrest.
Trump’s Warning
Donald Trump announced:
> “We are locked and loaded and ready to go,” he wrote, adding that the U.S. would come to Iran’s rescue if it “violently kills peaceful protesters.”
Iranian Officials Respond
Ali Larijani posted on X that “Trump should know that intervention by the U.S. in the domestic problem corresponds to chaos in the entire region and the destruction of the U.S. interests.”
> “Trump should know that intervention by the U.S. in the domestic problem corresponds to chaos in the entire region and the destruction of the U.S. interests,”
Ali Larijani added:
> “The people of the U.S. should know that Trump began the adventurism. They should take care of their own soldiers.”
Ali Shamkhani warned that “any interventionist hand that gets too close to the security of Iran will be cut.”
> “any interventionist hand that gets too close to the security of Iran will be cut.”
Ali Shamkhani added:
> “The people of Iran properly know the experience of ‘being rescued’ by Americans: from Iraq and Afghanistan to Gaza.”
Protests and Economic Context
- The demonstrations, now in their sixth day, are the biggest since 2022’s Mahsa Amini protests.
- At least seven people have been killed amid violence.
- The unrest began partly because the rial has fallen to about 1.4 million rials per $1.
Masoud Pezeshkian, Iran’s reformist president, has signaled a willingness to negotiate but admits limited power as the currency’s collapse drives the protests.
International Implications
- Iran says it no longer enriches uranium, hoping to signal openness to talks over its nuclear program.
- Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have warned Tehran against reconstituting its atomic program.
Key Takeaways
- Trump’s threat of U.S. intervention could further destabilize the region.
- Iranian officials accuse U.S. and Israel of fueling unrest.
- Economic collapse of the rial is a core driver of the protests, with at least seven casualties so far.
