Trump Warns Iran: ‘Kill Protesters and the US Will Act’
Trump threatens U.S. action if Iran’s rulers crush protests, raising the stakes in the biggest unrest since 2019.
A Midnight Call That Shook Tehran
It was just past midnight when the encrypted phone rang inside the U.S. embassy in Baghdad. On the line, a trusted source inside Iran’s security apparatus warned that orders had been issued to “clear the streets by sunrise.” Within minutes the cable—marked “urgent”—was flashing across screens in Washington, and by dawn President Trump had fired off the tweet that would rattle the region: “If Iran kills protesters, the USA will intervene. Be careful!”
The Spark That Lit the Fuse
Protests erupted last Tuesday in the city of Isfahan after a 40 % overnight jump in gasoline prices. Within 24 hours they had mushroomed into nationwide rallies against corruption, inflation and the ruling clerics. Videos posted to social media show crowds chanting “Death to the dictator” while burning posters of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Tehran’s response was swift: riot police, masked Basij militiamen and, according to witnesses, live ammunition.
“I saw a boy no older than 16 fall beside me, blood soaking the Iranian flag he had been waving,” a protester told us via WhatsApp voice note. “We are not afraid any more.”
Washington’s Red Line
Speaking to reporters on Air Force One, Trump doubled down: “We’re watching. If they slaughter these kids in the street, they’ll find out what American resolve looks like.” Defense officials later confirmed the USS Nimitz carrier strike group had been ordered to remain in the Gulf rather than head home as scheduled.
Tehran’s Counter-Punch
Iran’s foreign ministry called Trump’s threats “psychological warfare” and warned that any U.S. move would be met with “a crushing and regrettable response.” State TV aired footage of ballistic-missile units on “high alert,” while hard-line MPs chanted “Death to America” inside parliament.
What Happens Next?
- European diplomats are scrambling to revive nuclear talks to keep the situation from spiraling.
- Oil prices jumped 5 % on fears of supply disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz.
- Activists inside Iran say at least 200 have been killed; authorities claim the figure is “exaggerated.”
Back on the streets of Tehran, protesters vow to press on. “We’ve closed our shops, emptied our banks, filled the squares,” one woman said. “There’s no going back.” Whether Washington’s warning deters the crackdown—or accelerates it—could decide the fate of the Islamic Republic itself.