Iran issues regional threat after Trump signals US intervention over ongoing protests

WASHINGTON, DC: Tensions between the United States and Iran escalated on Friday, January 2, as both sides exchanged sharp warnings amid ongoing protests.

President Donald Trump said that the US would intervene if Iranian authorities escalated violence against demonstrators, prompting Iranian officials to warn of retaliation against American targets in the region.

The comments came as protests driven by economic hardship continued to spread across major Iranian cities. The unrest marked the most significant wave of demonstrations in the country since 2022.

Trump threatens interventions as protests escalate

Trump warned Iran that the United States could intervene if Iranian authorities responded violently to ongoing protests.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said that the US would “rescue” protesters if the regime escalated its response to what he described as peaceful demonstrations, adding, “We are locked and loaded and ready to go.”

Trump did not elaborate on what such an intervention might entail. He had no public events scheduled for Friday, and both chambers of Congress are holding pro forma sessions.

His comments followed days of unrest in Iran, where demonstrations had erupted over soaring inflation and a sharp depreciation of the national currency.

Protests have entered their sixth day and are the largest since 2022, when nationwide demonstrations followed the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody.

The current unrest was triggered by a steep decline in the Iranian rial, which fell to roughly 1.4 million to the US dollar earlier this week, deepening economic pressures on households.

Demonstrations began in Tehran and have spread to other cities, including Isfahan. Shopkeepers have reportedly closed businesses, students have staged campus protests, and crowds have chanted anti-government slogans while criticizing corruption and economic mismanagement.

Iranian authorities claim that at least seven people have died, including a volunteer member of the Basij security force. Videos circulating online showed security personnel carrying shotguns.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian initially signaled a willingness to engage with protest leaders, saying that he had instructed officials to listen to demonstrators’ “legitimate demands.”

However, recent fatalities have raised questions about whether authorities are shifting toward a firmer response.

Iran issues warning as official cites 'red lines'

Iranian officials swiftly responded to Trump’s comments, warning that any US interference would be met with retaliation.

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of Iran’s parliament, wrote on X that, “All American centers and forces across the entire region will be legitimate targets for us in response to any potential adventurism.”

Ali Shamkhani, an adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said Iran’s national security was a “red line, not material for adventurist tweets.”

He added, “Any intervening hand nearing Iran security on pretexts will be cut off with a regret-inducing response.”

Iran has previously threatened US forces stationed in the Middle East and, in June, launched an attack on the Al-Udeid airbase in Qatar following reported US strikes on Iranian nuclear enrichment sites. 

The latest exchange also comes days after Trump said the US could strike Iran if it was found to be rebuilding its nuclear program.