President Donald Trump issued a strong warning on Friday, stating that the United States is “locked and loaded” to respond should Iranian authorities harm protesters, following recent demonstrations over the country’s rising cost of living.
Clashes between protesters and security forces erupted in several Iranian cities on Thursday, resulting in six reported fatalities the first deaths since the unrest escalated. The protests, which began with shopkeepers striking in Tehran over high prices and economic stagnation on Sunday, have spread to other parts of the country.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote: “If Iran shoots and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue. We are locked and loaded and ready to go.”
According to Iran’s Fars News Agency, two people were killed in Lordegan, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province, and three in Azna, Lorestan province, during clashes with security forces. State television also reported the death of a member of Iran’s security forces in Kouhdasht in the western part of the country.
While smaller in scale than the 2022 protests triggered by the death of Mahsa Amini, these demonstrations underscore persistent public frustration over economic hardships. Amini’s death in custody, following her arrest for allegedly violating Iran’s strict dress code, had sparked nationwide unrest that resulted in hundreds of fatalities, including security personnel.
The current wave of protests signals continued tensions in Iran, as citizens grapple with economic challenges and the government faces growing scrutiny from both domestic and international observers.
