Washington, Jan 3: President Donald Trump on Friday issued a sharp warning to Iran, saying the United States was prepared to act if Iranian authorities used deadly force against protesters, as Washington announced a new round of sanctions targetting Tehran’s weapons and drone networks linked to Venezuela.In a social media post, Trump said the United States would intervene if Iranian security forces “shot and violently kill peaceful protesters,” adding that Washington was “locked and loaded and ready to go.”
“If Iran shots 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,” Trump said on Truth Social.
The warning came as reports pointed to escalating unrest in Iran, with media reports of deadly clashes between demonstrators and security forces during nearly a week of unrest.
“Violence erupted between Iranian protesters and police during unrest on Thursday, leaving at least five dead on the fifth day of demonstrations over the country’s economic crisis,” The Wall Street Journal reported.
The daily said the demonstrations began on Sunday after merchants took to the streets to protest after a precipitous drop in the value of the rial, the country’s currency. “International sanctions over Iran’s refusal to pare back its nuclear ambitions have led to widespread economic problems, including high inflation and a devaluation of its currency,” it said.
Reacting to Trump’s social media post, li Larijani, Secretary of Iran’s National Security Council, warned the US against such a move. “The American people must know that Trump is the one who started this adventure, and they should pay attention to the safety of their soldiers,” he wrote on X.
Early this week, the US State Department announced sanctions against entities and individuals accused of supporting Iran’s Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) and ballistic missile programmes.