Amid the ongoing protests in Iran, US President Donald Trump has issued a strong warning saying that if Iran kills peaceful protesters, US will come to their rescue.
“We are locked and loaded and ready to go,” Trump said in a post on his Truth Social account.
At least seven people have been killed in Iran amid clashes between security forces and protesters as protests have rocked Iran since Sunday. The protests that began in capital city of Tehran as shopkeepers on Sunday took to the streets over the government’s handling of a sharp fall in the currency, economic stagnation and high inflation, which officially rose to 42.5 per cent in December.
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The protests intensified after students from at least ten universities joined the demonstrations on Tuesday. Markets have been shut amid the ongoing protests and the government declared a holiday due to cold weather, effectively shutting much of the country.
The protests have spread to multiple provinces as demonstrators poured into the streets over the last 24 hours, with some protests escalating into fatal confrontations with security forces, CNN reported.
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Protesters reportedly clashed with police, hurled stones at officers, and torched vehicles, Iran’s Fars news agency said, adding that some armed “disturbers” exploited the gathering. The news portal said that authorities later seized firearms from several individuals.
Iran’s civilian government, led by President Masoud Pezeshkian, has tried to show a willingness to engage with protesters.
“From an Islamic perspective… if we do not resolve the issue of people’s livelihoods, we will end up in Hell,” he said at an event aired on state television.
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Iran’s economy has been under stress for years due to US and western sanctions linked to Tehran’s nuclear programme. Regional tensions added to the strain after a 12-day conflict with Israel in June, which further weakened state finances.