Iran Opens Fire on Protesters Despite Trump Threat

Iranian security forces opened fire on protesters on Friday night despite Donald Trump’s threat to intervene in the rapidly spreading unrest.

Demonstrators came under fire in Tehran, while there were claims at least one person had been killed in the city of Qom.

The US president had warned Iran earlier in the day that Washington was “locked and loaded” and would “rescue” demonstrators if Tehran killed any more anti-regime protesters.

The demonstrations, which began on Sunday amongst shopkeepers angry at a failing currency and rising prices, have evolved into broader anti-regime rallies across more than 20 cities.

Protesters could be heard chanting “this year is a year of blood, Seyyed Ali will be overthrown,” “death to the dictator” and “death to the oppressor”, all referring to Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader.

Protesters have attacked government offices, set police vehicles on fire, and pulled the country’s flag off government buildings. Seven people have been confirmed dead so far.

Protests and clashes between demonstrators and security forces intensified in several cities and heavy gunfire could be heard on Friday night.

It was not clear whether security forces were firing live rounds.

Iranian security forces involved in the clashes have long used pellet guns and other crowd-control weapons, blinding hundreds of people during protests in 2022.

The unrest marks the most significant challenge to Iran’s government since 2022, when demonstrations followed Mahsa Amini’s death in custody. She had been accused of wearing a hijab improperly.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote:

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. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J.TRUMP

The White House did not confirm whether Trump was preparing more military action, covert action through proxies, or looking at further sanctions.

In response, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of Iran’s parliament, warned that all US military personnel and bases in the region would be considered “legitimate targets” if Trump made good on his claims.

Ghalibaf said: “The dishonourable president of America should know that, with this official confession, all American centres and forces throughout the region will be our legitimate targets in response to any possible adventurism.”

Ali Shamkhani, an adviser to the ayatollah, 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.

The escalation comes just seven months after US bombers struck Iran’s nuclear facilities.

On Monday, Trump issued another threat, saying he was prepared to attack the Islamic republic again if it rebuilt its missile programme.

“I hear that Iran is trying to build up again, and if they are, we’re going to have to knock them down,” he said, following a meeting with Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister of Israel. “We’ll knock them down. We’ll knock the hell out of them.”

The British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said: “We are concerned by the reports of violence against protesters in Iran exercising their legitimate right to peaceful protest. We continue to monitor developments closely.”

The demonstrations began when shopkeepers in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar staged a strike after the Iranian rial hit a record low against the US dollar. Annual inflation hit 42.2 per cent in December, with food prices jumping 72 per cent.

At first, the regime tried to quell the anger by acknowledging the challenging conditions in the country. Mohammad Reza Farzin, the central bank governor, was forced to resign.

Fatemeh Mohajerani, a government spokesman, said it “recognises peaceful assembly rights enshrined in the constitution” and that officials were listening to citizens’ economic concerns.

But that was not enough, and the protest movement spread. Now the regime is struggling to maintain control.

Funerals for those killed have become new flashpoints, with large crowds gathering at burial sites despite a heavy security presence.

In the southern city of Marvdasht, demonstrators could be heard chanting “I will kill whoever killed my brother” and “death to Khamenei”.

In central Fouladshahr, protesters attending the funeral of one of those killed threw stones at security forces.

Residents in the city of Zahedan, which saw some of the longest-running protests in 2022, also joined the demonstrations on Friday.

Iran’s state media reported three people were killed in clashes between security forces and protesters in the city of Lordegan and three in Azna, in the western province of Lorestan.

Masoud Pezeshkian, the president of Iran, has said there is little he can do as Iran’s rial has rapidly depreciated, with one dollar now costing 1.34m rials. Western sanctions have been blamed.

On Friday night, Pezeshkian said that he would personally engage with the protesters. “If necessary, I will talk with the guilds myself,” he said. “If they are right somewhere and we have been at fault, we will try to correct ourselves.”