Iran’s government issued a threat of retaliation against the United States should President Donald Trump proceed with his reported plans to intervene in the country, following the dramatic escalation by Iranian security forces this weekend.
Iran’s parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, cautioned on Sunday that in the case of an attack, both Israel and “all American military centers, bases, and ships in the region will be our legitimate targets.”
“We do not view ourselves as restricted to responding only after an action occurs; instead, we will act based on any objective indicators of a threat,” he further stated.
The threat emerged as the New York Times indicated that Trump was weighing a strike on Iran in response to the killing of protesters and had been presented with numerous [missing text]. Though he has yet to make a final decision, he is said to be seriously considering it after previously threatening that Iran would [missing text] if the country’s leaders killed demonstrators.
“Iran is witnessing FREEDOM, perhaps as never before,” Trump wrote on [missing platform]. “The USA is prepared to assist!!!”
The protests in Iran commenced two weeks ago in Tehran’s bazaars due to rampant inflation, but have since expanded into broader demonstrations against Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and his regime, which has governed the country since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
A Tehran doctor [stated on] Friday that just six hospitals in the capital reported over 200 protesters killed, primarily “by live ammunition.” The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, which relies on Iranian activists, reported it could confirm 203 deaths by Sunday—162 protesters and 41 security force members.
Khamenei declared on Friday that the government would “not back down” in the face of the protests.
The government cut off the country’s internet on Thursday, resulting in an information blackout across most of the nation, with limited media reaching the public. One unsteady phone video shared on social media appeared to depict crowds confronting security forces in Tehran, chanting “Death to Khamenei.” Another video, reportedly filmed in northeastern Mashhad, showed fires burning along Vakilabad highway.
The Center for Human Rights in Iran noted that pinpointing the exact number of protesters killed is impossible because of the internet blackout, though they have received eyewitness accounts of snipers, military rifles, and surveillance drones being used against individuals.
“[W]itnesses have noted that hospitals are overwhelmed, blood supplies are critically low, bodies are being stacked up, and the number of casualties is increasing hourly,” the group [stated]
The tension between Trump and Iranian leaders arises just a week after the [event] and subsequent regime change in the South American nation, the culmination of a months-long military presence and campaign in the Caribbean. The move was criticized by [parties], including Iranian allies, in the days following.
