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New Delhi: The geopolitical standoff between Washington and Tehran has reached a critical point. On Friday, a senior adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, responded to the US president, saying that any US interference in the current wave of Iranian protests will trigger "chaos across the entire region."
“Iran’s security is a red line," Ali Shamkhani, an adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said in a post on X (formerly Twitter), adding, “Any intervening hand nearing Iran’s security on pretexts will be cut off with a regret-inducing response."
The 'locked and loaded' warning
The exchange follows a provocative statement from US President Donald Trump. Writing on his Truth Social account, Trump warned that the United States would intervene if the Iranian government utilised lethal force against peaceful demonstrators.
"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," Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“We are locked and loaded and ready to go,” Trump wrote, signalling a sharp departure from traditional diplomatic restraint.
Protests spread amid economic collapse
The unrest, which began Sunday in Tehran, was initially sparked by a massive drop in the national currency and an inflation rate that hit a staggering 42.5% in December. What started as a gathering of frustrated shopkeepers has evolved into a nationwide movement.
At least 7 people have been confirmed dead in clashes between security forces and demonstrators. On Tuesday, students from at least 10 universities joined the cause, intensifying the pressure on the state.
Markets in several cities have been shuttered, and authorities recently declared a public holiday, officially due to cold weather, which has effectively brought large sectors of the country to a halt.
Reports from CNN and Fars news agency indicate that some gatherings have turned violent, with protesters torching vehicles and hurling stones. Authorities claim to have seized firearms from "armed disturbers" infiltrating the crowds.
A government divided
While the civilian government under President Masoud Pezeshkian has signalled an openness to dialogue and a willingness to engage with the public's grievances, the military and the Supreme Leader’s inner circle remain defiant. Iran’s economy reportedly remains crippled by long-standing Western sanctions and the financial fallout from a 12-day military conflict with Israel in June.
