Rhetoric between the US and Iran quickly escalated on Friday, after President Donald Trump warned that his country was “locked and loaded” to intervene if Iran violently suppresses protests, prompting Tehran to threaten US troops.
Mr Trump's warning, after days of demonstrations over economic hardship that left at least six people dead, marks the most direct US threat and strongest remarks yet since the protests erupted last Sunday.
"If Iran [shoots] 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," he wrote on Truthsocial.
Ali Larijani, Iran’s Supreme National Security Council secretary, responded swiftly, warning of chaos and attacks against US troops if Washington intervenes.
“We distinguish between the positions of protesting shopkeepers and those of disruptive elements, and Trump should know that US interference in this internal matter would mean destabilising the entire region and undermining American interests," he wrote on X.
"The American people should know that Trump started this adventurism. They should look after their soldiers.”
Esmaeil Baqaei, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, also said Iranians, through dialogue and interaction among themselves to resolve their problems, will "allow no foreign intervention whatsoever".
The remarks came as Iran faced a week of unrest, the most significant since nationwide protests in 2022. The latest demonstrations have been caused by soaring inflation, a collapsing currency and rising living costs.
State-affiliated media and rights groups have reported at least six deaths since Wednesday, including one man who authorities said was a member of the Basij p
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