Iran has sharply criticised US President Donald Trump after his warning that American forces were “locked and loaded” to intervene if Iranian security forces killed protesters. Tehran said any such move would destabilise an already volatile region and put US troops at risk.
Trump’s remarks came as protests spread across Iran amid a deepening economic crisis marked by soaring prices and a collapsing currency. Demonstrations that began with shopkeepers striking in Tehran have now reached at least 15 cities, posing the most serious challenge to the clerical establishment since 2022.
Read More: Iran protests draw strong Trump warning
Clashes between demonstrators and security forces were reported in several urban centres, with at least six deaths confirmed. The unrest has intensified public anger over inflation, unemployment, and declining living standards.
با هم به خیابان ها بیایید. وقتش رسیده.
ما همراه شما هستیم. نه تنها از راه دور و شفاهی. در میدان نیز همراهتان هستیم.— Mossad Farsi (@MossadSpokesman) December 29, 2025
همه چشمها به ایران است.
شما تنها نیستید. pic.twitter.com/wJDbqkYZY9— اسرائیل به فارسی (@IsraelPersian) December 31, 2025
Iranian people, you are not alone! I call the world to hear your cry for freedom & to support you!
Let’s make Iran great again!@PahlaviReza
مردم عزیز ایران, شما تنها نیستید! از جامعه بینالمللی میخواهم صدای آزادیخواهی شما را بشنود و از شما حمایت کند!
بیایید عظمت را به… pic.twitter.com/MKaZ6ayr6y— גילה גמליאל – Gila Gamliel (@GilaGamliel) January 1, 2026
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said the United States would “come to the rescue” if peaceful protesters were violently killed. His comments were widely interpreted as a direct threat of military intervention.
Iranian officials responded swiftly and forcefully. Supreme National Security Council head Ali Larijani warned that US involvement would endanger American forces across the Middle East and undermine regional stability.
Foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei dismissed Trump’s statement as interference, saying Iranians would resolve their problems internally. Other senior figures, including parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, warned that US bases in the region could become targets if Washington intervened.
At the same time, Tehran accused Israel of inflaming tensions through an online campaign encouraging Iranians to revolt. Israeli officials and government-linked accounts posted messages backing protesters, some accompanied by images and videos later flagged as AI-generated or manipulated.
Read More: Trump warns Iran of new US strike after Netanyahu talks
While Israeli leaders publicly expressed support for demonstrators, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has remained silent. Analysts suggest this restraint is aimed at avoiding claims by Tehran that foreign powers are orchestrating the unrest.
Together, Trump’s warning and Israel’s online messaging have heightened fears that Iran’s internal crisis could spill over into a broader regional confrontation.