US President Donald Trump warned Iran on Friday that the United States would intervene if Iranian authorities shot and killed peaceful protesters.
“We are locked and loaded and ready to go,” Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform. He was responding to reports of growing violence during Iran’s largest protests in three years.
The warning followed confirmed deaths during clashes between demonstrators and security forces. The protests began earlier this week after shopkeepers and traders voiced anger over a sharp currency slide and soaring prices. Demonstrations later spread nationwide, drawing students from at least 10 universities and prompting confrontations with police.
Iran’s economy has faced prolonged strain since the United States reimposed sanctions in 2018. This decision followed Trump’s withdrawal from the international nuclear agreement during his first term. The renewed unrest reflects mounting pressure from inflation and falling purchasing power.
State-affiliated Fars News Agency reported that two people were killed in the city of Lordegan in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province. Additionally, three more were killed in Azna, in neighbouring Lorestan. According to the agency, protesters in Lordegan damaged public buildings, including the governor’s office and banks. After this incident, police used tear gas and arrested several alleged ringleaders.
In Azna, Fars, demonstrators attacked a police station during a protest gathering. Iranian state media have frequently described demonstrators as “rioters” during periods of unrest.
State television also reported the death of a member of Iran’s security forces in the western city of Kouhdasht. A provincial official said the victim belonged to the Basij, a volunteer paramilitary group linked to the Revolutionary Guards. Thirteen police officers and Basij members were reportedly injured during stone-throwing incidents.
While the demonstrations remain smaller than the nationwide protests in 2022 sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini, tensions continue to rise. That earlier movement left several hundred people dead, including members of the security forces.
REGIME IN CHAOS: New video shows protesters reportedly ripping down the gate of a government building in southern Iran.
Iran ground to a near standstill this week as businesses, universities and government offices closed under a government-ordered shutdown amid protests caused… pic.twitter.com/TfBie5Bwtv
— Fox News (@FoxNews) January 1, 2026Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian acknowledged protesters’ “legitimate demands” and urged government action to address economic conditions. “If we do not resolve the issue of people’s livelihoods, we will end up in hell,” he said during an event broadcast on state television.
Authorities, however, have also warned of a firm response to any attempts to exploit the protests to create instability. Iran’s prosecutor general said peaceful economic demonstrations were lawful but pledged a “decisive response” to acts of violence or insecurity.
The unrest comes as Iran’s currency, the rial, has lost more than one-third of its value against the US dollar over the past year. Official data shows inflation reached 52 percent year-on-year in December, further eroding household incomes and fueling public frustration.
