Iran's foreign minister has called Donald Trump's promise of intervention 'reckless and dangerous', after the US President warned Iran's authorities against killing peaceful protesters, stating that Washington 'will come to their rescue'.
In a brief post on social media, Trump indicated that the US military is prepared for action, stating: 'We are locked and loaded and ready to go', but provided no further details.
Addressing the situation on social media, Iran's Foreign Affairs Minister, Abbas Araghchi, pointed out Trump's own use of the National Guard within US borders, arguing that he should understand that attacks on public property cannot be tolerable.
Iran maintains that it will 'forcefully reject any interference in their internal affairs'.
Amid these tensions, an Iranian police spokesman declared that officers will not permit 'enemies' to escalate the ongoing unrest into chaos. Reports indicate that at least eight people have died during the week-long protests as of Saturday morning in Tehran.
The protests, which began with anger over the declining value of Iran's currency, have escalated to involve university students and are seen as the most extensive demonstrations since a major uprising in 2022, sparked by the death of a young woman in police custody.
Despite assurances from President Masoud Pezeshkian to listen to protesters' 'legitimate demands', the country's Prosecutor-General has warned that any instigation of instability will face a 'decisive response'.
Iran's UN Ambassador Amir-Saeid Iravani has called for the Security Council to condemn Trump's statements, asserting that 'the United States of America bears full responsibility for any consequences arising from these unlawful threats'.
