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Ex-President Trump has threatened to intervene in Iran should its regime harm protesters, leading to warnings from high-ranking figures in Tehran that any US intervention would violate a critical boundary.

A Social Media Post Fuels Tensions

Through a social media post on Friday, Trump stated that if the country were to use deadly force against demonstrators, the US would “intervene on their behalf”. He further stated, “we are prepared to act,” without clarifying what that would involve in practice.

Unrest Enter the Sixth Day Against a Backdrop of Economic Turmoil

Demonstrations across the nation are now in their second week, constituting the biggest since 2022. The present demonstrations were sparked by an sharp drop in the Iranian rial on Sunday, with its value plummeting to about a record depreciation, further exacerbating an precarious economic situation.

Seven people have been confirmed dead, among them a volunteer for the paramilitary organization. Videos reportedly show officials armed with shotguns, with the noise of discharges audible in the recordings.

Iranian Authorities Issue Stark Warnings

Reacting to the intervention warning, Ali Shamkhani, adviser to the supreme leader, warned that Iran’s national security were a “red line, not material for adventurist tweets”.

“Any external involvement approaching Iran security on any excuse will be cut off with a swift consequence,” he said.

Another leader, Ali Larijani, alleged the US and Israel of having a hand in the protests, a typical response by officials in response to protests.

“Trump must realize that foreign interference in this national affair will lead to destabilisation of the whole region and the destruction of American interests,” the official declared. “The public must know that Trump is the one that initiated this provocation, and they should pay attention to the safety of their soldiers.”

Background of Tensions and Demonstration Scope

The nation has threatened to target foreign forces deployed in the region in the before, and in recent months it attacked a facility in Qatar after the US struck related infrastructure.

The ongoing demonstrations have taken place in Tehran but have also reached other cities, such as a major city. Merchants have shuttered businesses in solidarity, and students have gathered on university grounds. While economic conditions are the central grievance, protesters have also chanted calls for change and condemned what they said was corruption and mismanagement.

Official Approach Evolves

The Iranian president, Masoud Pezeshkian, first called for protest leaders, taking a softer stance than authorities did during the 2022 protests, which were violently suppressed. He stated that he had instructed the administration to listen to the demonstrators' core grievances.

The fatalities of protesters, however, may indicate that officials are adopting a tougher stance against the unrest as they continue. A statement from the powerful military force on recently stated that it would act decisively against any outside meddling or “internal strife” in the country.

As Tehran grapple with protests at home, it has tried to stave off claims from the United States that it is reconstituting its nuclear programme. Iran has claimed that it is ceased such work at present and has expressed it is willing to engage in dialogue with the west.