A senior Iranian official issued a sharp warning Friday after President Donald Trump said the United States was prepared to come to the aid of peaceful protesters in Iran if the regime violently suppresses demonstrations, underscoring a renewed and volatile standoff between Washington and Tehran.
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of Iran’s parliament, responded to Trump’s message on Truth Social, where the president said his administration was “locked and loaded and ready to go” should Iranian authorities shoot or “violently kill” protesters. Ghalibaf accused Trump of disrespect and warned that any American intervention would put U.S. forces in the region at risk.
In a post on X, Ghalibaf said that with what he described as Trump’s “official admission,” all American centers and forces across the region would become “legitimate targets” for Iran in response to any U.S. action. He added that Iranians have historically remained united when facing what he called an aggressor enemy.
The exchange comes as unrest continues inside Iran, where demonstrations have entered their second week. According to The Associated Press, at least seven people have been killed in violence linked to the protests. The demonstrations were sparked in part by the collapse of Iran’s rial currency but have increasingly featured crowds chanting antigovernment slogans, signaling broader anger with the ruling regime.
Trump has previously taken a hard line against Tehran during periods of domestic unrest. In 2019, he imposed sanctions on Iranian officials over the regime’s violent response to protesters, a move that fell under his broader “maximum pressure” campaign designed to choke off funding for Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
The latest war of words follows a major escalation earlier this year, when the United States bombed Iranian nuclear sites in June in coordination with Israeli strikes. Iran retaliated by launching an attack on Al Udeid Air Base, which hosts American troops. While no injuries were reported, the strike caused some damage and highlighted the risk of a wider regional conflict.
Trump has said the U.S. strikes “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear capabilities, but he also suggested earlier this week that Tehran may be attempting to rebuild. He warned that such efforts would threaten regional stability and made clear that Washington would not allow Iran to restore its nuclear capacity.
“Iran may be behaving badly. It hasn’t been confirmed. But if it’s confirmed, look, they know the consequences,” Trump said. “Consequences will be very powerful, maybe more powerful than the last time.”
Despite the tough rhetoric, Trump also indicated he remains open to renewed talks with Iran. He made those comments last week alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a meeting at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. According to Axios, Netanyahu raised the possibility of another round of strikes on Iran during the visit.
Iranian officials have accused the U.S. and Israel of exploiting the unrest to justify further military action. Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said on X that statements from Trump and Israeli leaders revealed what he described as coordination behind the scenes. Larijani warned that U.S. involvement in Iran’s internal affairs would destabilize the region and endanger American interests, adding that Americans should be concerned about the safety of their troops.
The escalating rhetoric reflects the fragile and dangerous balance between deterrence and confrontation as protests continue inside Iran and tensions with the United States remain high.
[READ MORE: Trump Threatens U.S. Intervention as Iran Protests Turn Deadly]
