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Ex-President Trump has threatened to intervene in Iran if its regime use lethal force against demonstrators, prompting warnings from Iran's leadership that any American interference would overstep a definitive limit.

An Online Declaration Fuels Diplomatic Strain

Via a public declaration on recently, Trump said that if Iran were to shoot and kill protesters, the America would “intervene on their behalf”. He added, “we are locked and loaded, and ready to go,” without explaining what that could entail in practice.

Unrest Continue into the Next Phase Amid Financial Strain

Protests in Iran are now in their latest phase, marking the most significant since 2022. The current unrest were catalyzed by an unprecedented decline in the national currency on recently, with its value falling to about 1.4m to the US dollar, further exacerbating an existing financial crisis.

Multiple individuals have been lost their lives, including a member of the paramilitary organization. Videos circulate showing officials carrying shotguns, with the sound of shooting audible in the video.

National Leaders Issue Strong Rebukes

Reacting to Trump’s threat, an official, adviser to the country's highest authority, warned that Iran’s national security were a “red line, not a subject for online provocations”.

“Any external involvement nearing Iran security on false pretenses will be cut off with a forceful retaliation,” Shamkhani said.

Another senior Iranian official, the secretary of Iran’s supreme national security council, accused the US and Israel of being involved in the unrest, a typical response by officials in response to protests.

“Trump must realize that American involvement in this internal issue will lead to destabilisation of the entire area and the destruction of American interests,” Larijani wrote. “The American people must know that the former president is the one that started this adventure, and they should pay attention to the safety of their soldiers.”

Recent History of Conflict and Demonstration Nature

Iran has vowed to strike US troops stationed in the Middle East in the before, and in June it launched strikes on a facility in Qatar after the American attacks on its nuclear facilities.

The ongoing demonstrations have taken place in Tehran but have also reached other urban centers, such as Isfahan. Merchants have shuttered businesses in solidarity, and students have taken over university grounds. Though the currency crisis are the primary complaint, protesters have also voiced political demands and decried what they said was failures by officials.

Official Response Evolves

The Iranian president, the president, initially invited demonstration organizers, taking a more conciliatory tone than the government did during the 2022 protests, which were put down harshly. Pezeshkian noted that he had ordered the government to listen to the demonstrators' core grievances.

The fatalities of protesters, however, could signal that authorities are becoming more forceful as they address the protests as they continue. A statement from the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps on Monday warned that it would act decisively against any external involvement or “internal strife” in the country.

While Tehran deal with internal challenges, it has attempted to refute accusations from the United States that it is reviving its atomic ambitions. Officials has said that it is halted enrichment activities domestically and has indicated it is ready for talks with the international community.