President Trump vowed to assist protesters as unrest continues in Iran, warning that the U.S. will take action if protesters are killed.
“If Iran shots and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue,” he wrote on Truth Social. “We are locked and loaded and ready to go. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J.TRUMP”
Ali Larijani, the secretary of Iran’s national security council, wrote in response to the threat, “With the statements by Israeli officials and @realDonaldTrump, what has been going on behind the scenes is now clear. We distinguish between the stance of the protesting shopkeepers and the actions of disruptive actors, and Trump should know that U.S. interference in this internal matter would mean destabilizing the entire region and destroying America’s interests. The American people should know — Trump started this adventurism. They should be mindful of their soldiers’ safety.”
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian similarly noted that the “response of the Islamic Republic of Iran to any oppressive aggression will be harsh and regrettable.”
Iranian protests stem from the currency collapse. Several protesters were killed this week, and numerous others have been arrested. According to the Associated Press, Iran’s rial dropped to 1.42 million to the dollar on Sunday. The report indicates that the protests are the largest since 2022.
Protesters in multiple locations chanted slogans including “Death to the dictator,” with some demanding the resignation of Iran’s political leadership amid severe economic hardships, American Faith reported. Tehran shopkeepers and business owners joined national strikes, shuttering shops in protest of economic instability.
