Trump Issues Strong Warning as Iran Protests Turn Deadly
Amid intensifying protests across Iran, US President Donald Trump has issued a sharp warning, saying the United States would intervene if Iranian authorities kill peaceful protesters. Posting on his Truth Social platform, Trump said the US was “locked and loaded and ready to go,” escalating rhetoric as unrest spreads across the country.
At least seven people have reportedly been killed during clashes between Iranian security forces and protesters since demonstrations began on Sunday. The protests initially erupted in Tehran after shopkeepers and traders took to the streets over the government’s handling of a sharp currency collapse, prolonged economic stagnation, and soaring inflation, which officially rose to 42.5% in December.
The movement quickly gained momentum when students from at least ten universities joined the protests on Tuesday, turning local demonstrations into a broader national outcry. Over the past 24 hours, protests have spread to multiple provinces, with markets shutting down in several cities. The Iranian government declared a public holiday citing cold weather, a move that effectively brought much of the country to a standstill.
According to international media reports, clashes intensified as protesters confronted police, with incidents of stone-pelting and vehicles being set ablaze. Iranian state-linked agencies claimed that armed individuals infiltrated demonstrations, and authorities later seized firearms from several people.
Iran’s civilian leadership has attempted to strike a conciliatory tone. President Masoud Pezeshkian acknowledged the severity of the economic crisis, warning that failure to address people’s livelihoods would have serious moral consequences. Iran’s economy has remained under sustained pressure due to long-standing US and Western sanctions tied to its nuclear programme, further strained by regional tensions and a brief conflict with Israel earlier this year.