Help is on way: Trump threatens Iran again, tells protesters to carry on demonstrations
US President Donald Trump publicly backed anti-government protests in Iran, announcing the cancellation of all diplomatic engagements with Tehran and warning that those responsible for violence against demonstrators would "pay a big price." His remarks come as nationwide protests over economic hardship enter a third week, with Iranian authorities acknowledging a death toll of around 2,000 amid a sweeping security crackdown and mounting international pressure.
New Delhi: US President Donald Trump on Monday voiced open support for ongoing protests in Iran, announcing that he had scrapped all planned engagements with Iranian officials and warning that those involved in violence against demonstrators would face consequences.
Trump backs protests
Posting on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump called on Iranians to sustain the demonstrations and document alleged abuses by state authorities.
"Iranian Patriots, KEEP PROTESTING – TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!! Save the names of the killers and abusers. They will pay a big price,” he wrote.
Trump said his decision to freeze diplomatic contacts with Tehran was driven by what he described as the "senseless killing of protesters.”
"I have cancelled all meetings with Iranian officials until the senseless killing of protesters STOPS,” the post said, adding, "HELP IS ON ITS WAY.”
Crackdown, rising toll
His remarks come as unrest intensifies across Iran, where nationwide demonstrations triggered by economic distress have been met with a forceful security response. Iranian officials have blamed the violence on what they term rioters and foreign-backed "vandals,” while opposition groups and human rights organisations accuse security forces of using lethal force against civilians.
An Iranian official told Reuters that around 2,000 people, including members of the security forces, have been killed during the unrest, marking the first acknowledgment by authorities of such a high toll. The official claimed that those described as "terrorists” were responsible for deaths on both sides, but did not provide a detailed breakdown.
Now in its third week, the protest movement is being described as the most significant internal challenge to Iran’s clerical establishment in at least three years. The turmoil has also unfolded against the backdrop of heightened international tensions following last year’s strikes by Israel and the United States.
Blame, blackout strategy
Iran’s leadership, in power since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, has adopted a dual strategy, acknowledging public anger over economic conditions as legitimate while simultaneously enforcing a broad security crackdown. Authorities have repeatedly accused Washington and Tel Aviv of stoking the unrest and alleged that armed groups have hijacked the protests.
Human rights organisations have earlier reported that hundreds of demonstrators were killed and thousands detained. Internet shutdowns and other communication restrictions imposed during the protests have made independent verification of events on the ground difficult.