US President Donald Trump has Iran threatened US intervention if the regime in Tehran continued to use violence against anti-government protests. If the regime shoots or kills protesters, the US would come to their aid, Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. He suggested that the USA could also intervene militarily: “We are armed and ready,” wrote Trump. However, he did not announce any concrete steps.
Protests have been going on in Iran for days, according to local media and human rights groups several people were killed. The reason for the unrest is the poor economic situation in the country. On Sunday they began with protests by shopkeepers who complained about the decline in the national currency and the resulting high inflation.
Israel declares support for protests
Since then, the protests have spread across the country and to other sections of the population. There were serious riots in western Iran on Thursday. In the south, protesters attacked, among other things, a governor’s office.
The judicial authorities speak of a “decisive” approach against troublemakers. Attorney General Mohammed Mowahedi-Asad said on Thursday that anyone who uses the protests to destroy property or work on behalf of foreign powers will face consequences.
The Iranian government announced a dialogue with representatives of traders and unions as a further response to the protests. President Massoud Peseschkian showed understanding for the criticism of the economic situation.
The government’s means of improving the economic situation but are limited by sanctions. UN sanctions that had been temporarily suspended due to Iran’s nuclear program were recently reinstated. The inflation rate in Iran is currently over 40 percent. On Sunday there was a loss of value on the foreign exchange market within hours. The price of one US dollar rose to 1.42 million rials – compared to 820,000 rials a year ago. In response to that Iranian central bank chief Mohammed Reza Farsin resigned on Monday.
Israel’s secret service, Mossad, meanwhile called on Iranians to carry out further protests. “The time has come. We are with you,” the Mossad wrote in a message written in Farsi. At the same time, the secret service referred to its network of agents within the country: “We are also there with you,” wrote the Mossad. Iranian security authorities meanwhile described the protests as a “foreign conspiracy by Iran’s enemies.”
Iran warns of “chaos” if US intervenes
Israel waged a two-week air war against Iran last year, attacking, among other things, nuclear program facilities. The USA took part and bombed a facility central to the Iranian nuclear program.
However, to what extent this has actually delayed the Iranian regime’s ability to produce nuclear weapons is unknown. At a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Florida shortly before the turn of the year Trump promised Israel military aid from the USA for Israeli attacksif Iran does not stop its nuclear and missile programs.
Iran appeared resolute in the face of the new threat from the US President. If the US intervenes in the protests, it would lead to chaos throughout the region, said a senior adviser to Iranian leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran maintains a network of militias in the Middle East that are controlled by the regime Tehran armed and capable of attacking US bases in the region.
