US President Donald Trump on Friday issued a sharp warning to Iran, saying the United States would intervene if Iranian authorities used lethal force against peaceful protesters, as demonstrations over economic hardship spread across multiple provinces in the country.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said that Washington was closely monitoring the situation in Iran and would respond decisively if protesters were violently suppressed. “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,” he wrote.

Protests Spread Across Iran 

The warning comes at a time when Iran is witnessing its largest wave of protests since 2022, triggered by a sharp economic downturn, soaring inflation, and the collapse of the national currency. Over the past several days, shopkeepers, bazaar traders, students, and residents in several cities have taken to the streets to protest rising prices and worsening living conditions.

According to media reports, demonstrations that began in Tehran’s major bazaars have now spread to provinces including Lorestan, Isfahan, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, and Kermanshah. Some protests turned violent, with clashes reported between demonstrators and security forces.

Fatal Clashes And Arrests Reported

Iranian state-affiliated media confirmed that at least seven people, including protesters and members of the security forces, have been killed during clashes over the last two days. Fars News Agency reported incidents of stone-pelting, arson, and attacks on government buildings in some areas, while authorities accused “armed disturbers” of exploiting the protests.

In Lorestan’s Kouhdasht city, a member of Iran’s Basij paramilitary force was killed, and several others were injured. Meanwhile, officials said dozens of protesters were detained across different regions, including Malard county near Tehran, for allegedly disturbing public order.

Unverified videos circulating on social media showed burning vehicles, closed markets, and chanting crowds, though access to independent reporting remains limited.

Iran Pushes Back Against US Warning

Responding to Trump’s remarks, Ali Larijani, the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council and a former speaker of parliament, said that the US and Israel were inciting the protests. He offered no evidence to support the allegation, which Iranian officials have repeatedly made during years of protests sweeping the country. "Trump should know that intervention by the US in the domestic problem corresponds to chaos in the entire region and the destruction of the US interests," Larijani wrote on X, which the Iranian government blocks. "The people of the US should know that Trump began the adventurism. They should take care of their own soldiers."

Ali Shamkhani, an adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei also warned that "any interventionist hand that gets too close to the security of Iran will be cut." "The people of Iran properly know the experience of 'being rescued' by Americans: from Iraq and Afghanistan to Gaza," he added on X.

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Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, who took office last year, has acknowledged public anger and promised to listen to what he described as “legitimate demands.” However, he also warned against violence and attempts to create instability.

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Iran’s economy has been under strain for years due to US and Western sanctions linked to its nuclear programme, compounded by recent regional tensions and a sharp depreciation of the rial. Official data shows inflation remains above 40 per cent, while unemployment and rising living costs continue to fuel public discontent. As protests continue to spread, Trump’s warning has added a new layer of geopolitical tension to an already volatile situation, with global attention now fixed on Tehran’s next move.