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The former president has stated he would step in in the Islamic Republic if its regime use lethal force against protesters, prompting warnings from Iran's leadership that any American interference would cross a “red line”.

An Online Statement Fuels Diplomatic Strain

In a online statement on recently, Trump stated that if the country were to use deadly force against protesters, the United States would “come to their rescue”. He noted, “we are locked and loaded, and ready to go,” without explaining what that might mean in actual terms.

Protests Continue into the Next Phase Against a Backdrop of Economic Turmoil

Public unrest are now in their latest phase, representing the largest in recent memory. The current unrest were catalyzed by an sharp drop in the country's money on recently, with its value falling to about a historic low, intensifying an existing financial crisis.

Multiple individuals have been reported killed, including a volunteer for the paramilitary organization. Videos circulate showing law enforcement armed with firearms, with the sound of shooting heard in the recordings.

National Authorities Issue Strong Warnings

In response to the intervention warning, a top adviser, counselor for the supreme leader, stated that Iran’s national security were a “definitive boundary, not material for online provocations”.

“Any external involvement nearing our national security on pretexts will be cut off with a regret-inducing response,” the official said.

A separate high-ranking figure, Ali Larijani, claimed the foreign powers of orchestrating the unrest, a common refrain by Tehran in response to domestic dissent.

“Trump must realize that US intervention in this national affair will lead to destabilisation of the whole region and the destruction of US assets,” he wrote. “The American people must know that Trump is the one that began this escalation, and they should consider the security of their military personnel.”

Recent History of Strain and Demonstration Nature

Iran has vowed to strike foreign forces based in the Middle East in the before, and in recent months it attacked a facility in Qatar after the American attacks on its nuclear facilities.

The current protests have occurred in the capital but have also reached other urban centers, such as a major city. Shopkeepers have closed their stores in protest, and students have taken over campuses. Though financial hardship are the main issue, protesters have also chanted political demands and condemned what they said was graft and poor governance.

Official Stance Evolves

The nation's leader, the president, initially invited representatives, taking a more conciliatory tone than the government did during the earlier demonstrations, which were violently suppressed. The president noted that he had instructed the government to listen to the protesters’ “legitimate demands”.

The recent deaths of protesters, could, suggest that the state are adopting a tougher stance against the unrest as they continue. A communiqué from the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps on Monday stated that it would take a harsh line against any foreign interference or “sedition” in the country.

As the government face protests at home, it has tried to stave off allegations from the US that it is rebuilding its nuclear activities. Tehran has said that it is no longer enriching uranium at present and has expressed it is willing to engage in dialogue with the international community.