Iran warns of retaliation if US attacks in support of protesters
Iran has issued a stark warning that it will retaliate against any US military action, as nationwide protests continue to spread despite a deadly government crackdown that has drawn international concern.
Demonstrations that began in Tehran over soaring inflation and economic hardship have rapidly expanded to more than 100 cities and towns across all of Iran’s provinces. Protesters are now openly calling for an end to clerical rule under Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, marking one of the most serious challenges to the Islamic Republic in recent years.
Verified videos and eyewitness testimony indicate that security forces have intensified their response, using live ammunition, mass arrests and heavy force to suppress crowds. Hospital doctors told media outlets that more than 300 bodies were received over a two-day period alone, raising fears that the nationwide death toll could be significantly higher. Human rights groups say internet shutdowns and restrictions on journalists have made it difficult to confirm the full scale of casualties.
Tensions escalated further after the United States threatened possible military action in response to the killing of protesters. Iran’s parliamentary speaker warned that any US strike would trigger retaliation, adding that Israel, US military assets and key shipping hubs across the region would be considered legitimate targets. The warning underscored fears that the unrest could spill into a broader regional confrontation.
Iranian authorities have adopted increasingly hardline rhetoric. The attorney general declared that anyone taking part in protests would be treated as an “enemy of God,” an offense punishable by death under Iranian law. Supreme Leader Khamenei dismissed demonstrators as “vandals,” accusing them of acting to satisfy US President Donald Trump.
Trump, meanwhile, said the United States “stands ready to help,” adding that Iran was “looking at freedom.” Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian blamed the unrest on foreign interference, accusing the US and Israel of stoking instability inside the country.
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