US President Donald Trump has warned Iran’s leaders against harming peaceful demonstrators, stating that Washington “will come to their aid.”
In a short social media post, he stated, “We are geared up and prepared to proceed,” but provided no additional information.
A top advisor to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei cautioned that Trump should “take care” if he gets involved, alerting to possible turmoil in the Middle East.
Reports indicate that at least eight individuals have died in Iran following nearly a week of widespread protests triggered by deteriorating economic conditions.
In a post on Truth Social on Friday, Trump stated, “If Iran shoots [sic] and brutally kills nonviolent protesters, as is their tradition, the United States of America will assist them.”
In his post, the US president did not detail what measures Washington might pursue against the Iranian regime.
In June, the US executed attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities under Trump’s directives.
U.S. officials subsequently contended that the attacks had greatly hindered Tehran’s chances of developing a nuclear bomb—a statement contested by Iran.
In response, Iran carried out a missile strike on a significant US military installation in Qatar.
“Trump should know that US interference in this internal matter would mean destabilizing the entire region and destroying America’s interests,” he wrote.
However, for some of the protesters, intervention from the US would be welcome.
“They [security forces] are afraid, and they shake to the bones when Mr. Trump says something or Mr. (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu says something,” a young woman protesting in Tehran told the BBC’s Newshour program.
Choosing to remain anonymous for her protection, she stated that protesters have sought US support for years, as the security forces “trust that if Mr. Trump makes a statement, he will follow through,” and they “understand that if something occurs, they would face the repercussions.”
On Thursday, it was reported that six individuals in Iran lost their lives during the fifth day of demonstrations.
Two individuals lost their lives in confrontations between demonstrators and security personnel in the southwestern city of Lordegan, as reported by the semi-official Fars news agency and the human rights organization Hengaw, which identified them as protesters named Ahmad Jalil and Sajjad Valamanesh.
Fars reports that three individuals were murdered in Azna and one more in Kouhdasht, both located in the western part of the nation. It did not clarify if they were protesters or part of the security personnel.
A fatality was reported in Fuladshahr, central Iran, while another victim was noted in Marvdasht, located in the south.
The BBC has been unable to confirm the deaths independently.
Videos shared on social media depicted vehicles ablaze amid clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement.
BBC Persian has authenticated videos depicting the protests that took place on Thursday in Lordegan, Tehran, and Marvdasht.
Iranian authorities previously announced that a young member of the nation’s security forces was killed on Wednesday in the western city of Kouhdasht. However, protesters claimed that the man was actually one of them and had been killed by the security forces.
On Friday, violence was reported at the man’s funeral attended by thousands of mourners.
On Sunday in Tehran, protests erupted among shopkeepers frustrated by another significant decline in the value of the Iranian rial against the US dollar on the open market.
By Tuesday, students at universities participated, and demonstrations had extended to multiple cities, with crowds shouting against the clerical leaders of the nation.
Numerous demonstrators have been urging for the conclusion of Khamenei’s leadership. Some have expressed a desire to see the monarchy reinstated.
“We don’t have any kind of liberty here,” the protester who spoke to the BBC said. “We fight every day—we face the most brutal things every day. We want to end it [the regime]; even with the price of our lives, we don’t have anything.”
The demonstrations have been the most extensive since the 2022 uprising triggered by the in-custody death of Mahsa Amini, a young woman cited by morality police for improper veiling, although they haven’t reached the same magnitude.
President Masoud Pezeshkian stated he will pay attention to the “valid requests” of the demonstrators.
However, the nation’s Prosecutor-General, Mohammad Movahedi-Azad, cautioned that any effort to induce instability would face a “firm reaction.”
