WASHINGTON/TEHRAN: US President Donald Trump has issued a warning that the United States will intervene if Iranian authorities use violence against peaceful protesters.
In a statement posted on his Social Truth account, Trump said that if Iran harms or kills peaceful demonstrators, the US is prepared to step in to protect them. He emphasized that America is fully ready to safeguard protesters.
On the other hand, Iranian leaders have strongly reacted to US President Donald Trump’s recent statements threatening intervention in Iran if authorities use force against protesters.
With the statements by Israeli officials and @realDonaldTrump, what has been going on behind the scenes is now clear. We distinguish between the stance of the protesting shopkeepers and the actions of disruptive actors, and Trump should know that U.S. interference in this… pic.twitter.com/uu9R20KFFv
— Ali Larijani | علی لاریجانی (@alilarijani_ir) January 2, 2026
The statement drew a swift response from Iran. Ali Larijani, an adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, condemned Trump’s remarks, describing potential US involvement as equivalent to spreading chaos in the region. Larijani stressed that foreign interference in Iran’s protests would exacerbate instability.
Ali Shamkhani, an adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, warned that any interfering hand attempting to threaten Iran’s security will be cut off. In a statement on the social media platform X, Shamkhani added that the Iranian nation is well aware of U.S. “rescue missions” in countries such as Iraq, Afghanistan, and Gaza.
The warnings come amid ongoing violent demonstrations in Iran against rising inflation and the falling currency value. Clashes between protesters and security forces have already left six people dead, with at least 30 others arrested.
The situation highlights growing tensions in Iran, where economic grievances are fueling widespread unrest, and international attention is intensifying due to threats of foreign intervention.
