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Donald Trump has threatened to intervene in Iran should its government harm demonstrators, resulting in warnings from high-ranking figures in Tehran that any US intervention would violate a critical boundary.

An Online Statement Fuels Tensions

Via a online statement on Friday, Trump stated that if Iran were to shoot and kill demonstrators, the United States would “intervene on their behalf”. He added, “we are locked and loaded, and ready to go,” without explaining what that would involve in practice.

Demonstrations Enter the Next Phase Amid Economic Strain

Protests in Iran are now in their second week, representing the largest in several years. The present demonstrations were triggered by an steep fall in the Iranian rial on Sunday, with its worth falling to about a record depreciation, further exacerbating an precarious economic situation.

Multiple individuals have been lost their lives, among them a member of the state-affiliated group. Videos reportedly show law enforcement carrying firearms, with the audio of gunfire audible in the recordings.

Iranian Authorities Issue Strong Responses

Addressing the statement, a top adviser, adviser to the supreme leader, stated that Iran’s national security were a “definitive boundary, not fodder for reckless social media posts”.

“Any foreign interference nearing our national security on pretexts will be met with a regret-inducing response,” Shamkhani said.

A separate high-ranking figure, Ali Larijani, claimed the foreign powers of orchestrating the demonstrations, a common refrain by officials when addressing domestic dissent.

“The US should understand that foreign interference in this national affair will lead to destabilisation of the Middle East and the destruction of American interests,” he wrote. “US citizens must know that the former president is the one that initiated this provocation, and they should pay attention to the safety of their troops.”

Background of Conflict and Demonstration Scope

Tehran has previously warned against foreign forces stationed in the region in the before, and in recent months it launched strikes on Al-Udeid airbase in the Gulf following the US struck Iranian nuclear enrichment sites.

The ongoing demonstrations have occurred in Tehran but have also extended to other urban centers, such as Isfahan. Business owners have shuttered businesses in solidarity, and youth have gathered on university grounds. Though economic conditions are the central grievance, demonstrators have also chanted political demands and criticized what they said was failures by officials.

Presidential Approach Changes

The nation's leader, the president, initially invited protest leaders, taking a less confrontational approach than the government did during the previous unrest, which were put down harshly. He stated that he had ordered the government to listen to the people's valid concerns.

The recent deaths of demonstrators, however, suggest that officials are taking a harder line as they address the unrest as they persist. A statement from the powerful military force on Monday cautioned that it would respond forcefully against any outside meddling or “internal strife” in the country.

While Iranian authorities face protests at home, it has tried to stave off allegations from the US that it is reconstituting its nuclear activities. Tehran has stated that it is no longer enriching uranium at present and has signaled it is open for talks with the international community.