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Ex-President Trump has stated he would step in in Iran if its authorities harm protesters, leading to warnings from high-ranking figures in Tehran that any American interference would cross a “red line”.

A Social Media Statement Fuels Tensions

In a public declaration on Friday, Trump said that if Iran were to fire upon protesters, the United States would “step in to help”. He further stated, “we are locked and loaded, and ready to go,” without explaining what that might mean in reality.

Demonstrations Enter the Next Phase Against a Backdrop of Financial Strain

Demonstrations across the nation are now in their sixth day, constituting the biggest since 2022. The present demonstrations were sparked by an unprecedented decline in the Iranian rial on recently, with its value plummeting to about a historic low, further exacerbating an already beleaguered economy.

Seven people have been lost their lives, among them a volunteer for the paramilitary organization. Recordings reportedly show security forces carrying shotguns, with the noise of discharges present in the background.

Tehran's Leaders Issue Firm Rebukes

In response to the statement, a top adviser, adviser to the country's highest authority, cautioned that the nation's sovereignty were a “definitive boundary, not material for online provocations”.

“Any intervening hand targeting the country's stability on any excuse will be cut off with a regret-inducing response,” the official wrote.

Another leader, the secretary of Iran’s supreme national security council, alleged the outside actors of being involved in the unrest, a typical response by Tehran in response to protests.

“The US should understand that foreign interference in this internal issue will lead to destabilisation of the whole region and the harm to US assets,” he wrote. “The public must know that the former president is the one that initiated this provocation, and they should be concerned for the well-being of their military personnel.”

Context of Tensions and Demonstration Nature

Iran has vowed to strike American soldiers based in the Middle East in the past, and in June it launched strikes on Al-Udeid airbase in Qatar after the American attacks on Iranian nuclear enrichment sites.

The current protests have occurred in Tehran but have also reached other cities, such as a major city. Shopkeepers have gone on strike in protest, and activists have taken over university grounds. Though the currency crisis are the main issue, demonstrators have also voiced calls for change and condemned what they said was graft and poor governance.

Official Response Changes

The Iranian president, Masoud Pezeshkian, offered talks with protest leaders, adopting a less confrontational approach than the government did during the earlier demonstrations, which were met with force. The president noted that he had ordered the government to listen to the demonstrators' core grievances.

The loss of life of demonstrators, however, may indicate that officials are taking a harder line as they address the unrest as they continue. A announcement from the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps on Monday warned that it would act decisively against any outside meddling or “unrest” in the country.

While the government grapple with protests at home, it has tried to stave off accusations from the United States that it is reviving its nuclear programme. Tehran has claimed that it is ceased such work anywhere in the country and has indicated it is open for negotiations with the international community.