President Donald Trump issued a stark warning to Iran’s leadership on Friday, declaring that the United States is prepared to intervene militarily if Iranian forces violently suppress ongoing protests that have already claimed several lives.
In a post on Truth Social, 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. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
The president’s use of “locked and loaded” revives phrasing he has employed in past confrontations with Iran, signaling a potential escalation in U.S. involvement.
The statement follows reports of at least six to seven deaths in clashes between protesters and security forces, primarily in western provinces such as Lorestan and Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari. Iranian state-affiliated media and human rights groups have confirmed multiple fatalities, including security personnel and demonstrators, amid the most widespread unrest since the 2022-2023 protests triggered by Mahsa Amini’s death in custody.
The demonstrations, now in their sixth day, began in late December 2025 when shopkeepers in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar struck over soaring inflation—exceeding 40-42%—and the Iranian rial’s plunge to record lows of around 1.4 million to the U.S. dollar. Protests quickly spread to cities including Isfahan, Shiraz, Mashhad, and rural areas, evolving into political chants against the regime, such as “Death to the Dictator.”
Iran’s economy continues to suffer from longstanding U.S. sanctions, intensified since Trump’s withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal in his first term. President Masoud Pezeshkian has acknowledged “legitimate” economic grievances and urged dialogue, while security forces have made arrests and deployed to contain the unrest.
Trump’s threat has heightened concerns over possible U.S. military action, aligning with his administration’s maximum pressure policy toward Tehran but risking further regional tensions. Analysts note the protests reflect deep public frustration with economic mismanagement, though the regime has so far avoided a full-scale crackdown seen in prior uprisings.