'In Big Trouble': US President Donald Trump Issues Stern Warning As Protests Roil Iran; Says 'Watching Situation Closely'

New Delhi: Amid ongoing unrest in Iran against rising prices and economic hardship, President Donald Trump stated that the U.S. is keeping a close watch on developments in Iran, expressing his hope for the safety of those demonstrating. He issued a stern warning that any killing of protesters would trigger American intervention, vowing to strike the nation where it is most vulnerable.

Reiterating further on Iran, the President stated, “Iran's in big trouble. It looks to me that the people are taking over certain cities that nobody thought were really possible. We're watching the situation very carefully. I made the statement very strongly that if they start killing people like they have in the past, we will get involved. We will be hitting them very hard where it hurts, and that doesn't mean boots on the ground, but it means hitting them very hard where it hurts so we don't want that to happen.” 

He further added, "But this is something pretty incredible that is happening in Iran. It's an amazing thing to watch. They've done a bad job, they have treated their people very badly and now they are being paid back, so, let's see what happens. We are watching it very closely".

The Institute for the Study of War reports a significant escalation in Iranian protests since January 7, with demonstrations growing in both intensity and geographic reach. In response, the regime has escalated its crackdown, including the unusual use of IRGC Ground Forces for domestic suppression. This follows a January 9 speech by Ayatollah Khamenei, who dismissed the protesters as foreign agents working to satisfy U.S. interests.

Khamenei stated, "There are also those whose work is destruction. Last night in Tehran, and in some other places, a bunch of vandals came and destroyed a building belonging to their own country. For example, suppose they destroyed a certain building or a wall, just to please the President of America. Because he said... some irrelevant nonsense... that "if the government of Iran does such and such, I will come to the side... I will take your side." The side of these rioters and individuals who are harmful to the country. These people have their hopes pinned on him. If he can, let him manage his own country! In his own country, various incidents are occurring,"

Khamenei further disparaged the U.S. President, labeling him a tyrant and asserting that history is full of despots who were deposed at the height of their hubris. He warned that Trump’s currently high level of "pride" typically precedes a leader's collapse.

Why the demonstrations started?

The catastrophic devaluation of the rial has triggered a massive economic emergency in Iran, making daily survival a struggle. The prices of essential goods like meat and rice have surged, while the country grapples with a staggering 40% to 55% annual inflation rate.

The current wave of unrest began in late December 2025, sparked by Tehran's merchants who went on strike to protest a collapsing currency and skyrocketing costs. While the movement was ignited by economic desperation, including a 40% inflation rate and a record-low rial, it quickly evolved into a broader political uprising.

This surge in dissent draws on years of pent-up frustration, specifically the legacy of the 2022 Mahsa Amini protests. The memory of her death in police custody remains a powerful catalyst, transforming a "bread protest" into a nationwide challenge against the government's legitimacy.

Trump's earlier threats

U.S. President Donald Trump and top Iranian officials exchanged dueling threats earlier as protests roiled Iran. Trump initially wrote on his Truth Social platform, warning Iran that if it “violently kills peaceful protesters,” the United States “will come to their rescue.”

“We are locked and loaded and ready to go,” Trump wrote, without elaborating.

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