Trump Threatens Intervention as Iran’s Economic Protests Turn Violent

US President Donald Trump has warned that Washington is prepared to intervene if Iranian authorities use lethal force against peaceful protesters, as demonstrations over worsening economic conditions spread across the country and turn increasingly violent.

In a post on his Truth Social platform on Friday, Trump said the United States would act if Iranian security forces shot and killed demonstrators. He wrote that such actions were customary for the Iranian regime and added that the US was “locked and loaded and ready to go.” The statement followed reports of deaths during Iran’s most serious wave of protests in three years.

Iranian officials quickly pushed back. Ali Larijani, a former speaker of parliament and current secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, accused Israel and the United States of fueling the unrest, though he provided no evidence. Writing on X, a platform blocked in Iran, Larijani warned that US intervention in what he described as a domestic issue would trigger chaos across the region and damage American interests. He added that Americans should understand that Trump was embarking on dangerous adventurism and urged them to be mindful of the safety of US soldiers.

The protests began over sharp price increases and economic hardship after Iran’s national currency plunged to record lows. What started as a merchants’ strike in Tehran has since spread to multiple provinces, with shop owners, bazaar traders and university students joining demonstrations and chanting slogans against the government. While the scale remains smaller than the nationwide unrest seen in 2022, the current protests represent the largest outbreak of public anger since then.

Clashes between demonstrators and security forces have intensified in recent days. State television reported that a volunteer member of the Basij paramilitary force was killed overnight during protests in the western city of Kuhdasht. According to various reports, at least six civilians have also died in confrontations with security forces across the country.

Semi-official media outlet Fars News Agency said two people were killed in clashes in Lordegan, in the southwestern province of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, while three others died in Azna, in neighboring Lorestan province. A human rights group, Hengaw, also reported fatalities, saying security forces had fired on protesters, killing and wounding several people. Hengaw added that another protester was shot dead in central Isfahan province.

Footage shared online, though unverified, appeared to show demonstrators throwing stones at police in Lordegan. Fars claimed that protesters attacked the governor’s office, banks and other state buildings and alleged that armed individuals exploited the protests. The agency said authorities later seized firearms from several people, though no evidence was provided.

The earliest reported death linked to the unrest occurred on Wednesday night, when a member of the Basij was killed and 13 others were injured in Kuhdasht, according to state-affiliated media. Fars broadcast images of a police officer receiving medical treatment after allegedly being set on fire during the clashes. The Basij force, which is loyal to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, is often deployed to suppress protests.

Authorities have moved quickly to make arrests. The prosecutor in Kuhdasht said 20 people were detained during the protests there. In Malard county, west of Tehran, officials reported the arrest of 30 individuals on charges of disturbing public order. A local official said those detained were abusing their lawful right to protest and claimed some had traveled from neighboring areas to take part.

The unrest reflects deep frustration with Iran’s prolonged economic crisis. The economy has been under severe strain since the United States reimposed sweeping sanctions in 2018, following Trump’s withdrawal from the international nuclear agreement during his first term. Inflation exceeded 40 percent in December, further eroding living standards.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has attempted to ease tensions by replacing the central bank chief and instructing the interior minister to listen to what he described as the protesters’ legitimate demands. Speaking on state television, Pezeshkian said that failing to address people’s livelihoods would have grave moral consequences. At the same time, authorities have warned against exploiting the situation and have promised a firm response to unrest.

The US State Department said it was alarmed by reports of intimidation, violence and arrests of protesters and called on Iranian authorities to halt the crackdown. In a message posted in Farsi, the department expressed support for Iranians demanding respect for their voices and rights.

Many Iranians remain wary of what may come next. The death of a young Basij volunteer has raised fears that the authorities could use it as a pretext for a harsher crackdown, similar to the response that followed the Women, Life, Freedom protests in 2022 after the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody. That movement was suppressed with heavy force, leaving hundreds dead and thousands imprisoned.

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