President Trump threatens to intervene in Iranian protests
President Donald Trump has threatened to intervene in Iran, where deadly civil unrest is brewing over the cost of living.
Anti-government protests in Iran are entering their third week, and human rights groups are sounding the alarm over the rising number of deaths caused by the authorities’ violent crackdown.
President Donald Trump has threatened to intervene, drawing a defiant response from Iran’s top leaders and further escalating tensions between the United States and the Middle Eastern country.
Iranian leaders have accused the United States and Israel of inciting demonstrations that began in late December, citing soaring prices and the sudden collapse of Iran’s currency.
Several major human rights and monitoring groups have condemned increased violence against demonstrators by government forces in recent days. The United Nations Independent Fact-Finding Mission in Iran said in a statement on January 10 that it had received reports that security forces had been ordered to respond “firmly” without restraining anti-government protesters.
According to multiple media reports, U.S. officials held preliminary talks with President Trump about military action against the Iranian regime.
The White House did not immediately respond to USA TODAY’s request for comment.
Here’s what you need to know about the ongoing protests.
Why are Iranians protesting?
Iranians took to the streets in late December as their country’s currency, the rial, suddenly collapsed and inflation rose to more than 40%. Economic pressure has reignited longstanding discontent with the Islamic Republic’s clergy, sparking the country’s most extensive civil unrest in years.
Demonstrations so far peaked over the weekend, according to the US-based Human Rights Defenders News Agency. On January 10, protests were held in 96 cities in 27 states. Shortly before midnight Tehran time on January 11, the group tracked protests in 186 cities in all 31 provinces of the country.
In some videos of the demonstration, demonstrators can be heard calling for the overthrow of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and the return of the exiled son of Iran’s last king, Mohammed Reza Shah Pahlavi. The last Shah of Iran, as he is known, was overthrown by Iran’s Islamic Revolution in 1979. His son and successor, Reza Pahlavi, also lives in Virginia.
The protests and violent response are reminiscent of the “Women, Lives and Freedom” protests that rocked the country in 2022 and 2023 in the wake of Mahsa Amini’s death. A 22-year-old woman was detained on suspicion of violating the dress code and died in police custody.
How many injuries and deaths are recorded?
The Norway-based organization Iranian Human Rights said on January 11 that it had confirmed that at least 192 protesters had been killed since the demonstrations began. The group says unconfirmed reports range from hundreds to low thousands of people, and ongoing internet restrictions make verification methods difficult.
As of January 11, the latest estimate of the death toll from the Human Rights Defenders News Agency was more than 580, with more than 10,600 people in authorities’ custody.
Iran does not release official statistics. A government-imposed internet blackout has cut off much communication with people in the country since January 8, disrupting the flow of information.
How did President Trump react?
President Trump has repeatedly warned Iranian leaders not to kill protesters and has stepped up his threats in recent weeks.
President Trump said on January 2 that the United States would come to the rescue “if Iran shoots or violently kills peaceful protesters, which is our practice.” A week later, on January 9, President Trump warned Tehran in comments to reporters: “You better not start shooting because we’re going to start shooting too.”
As recently as January 10, the President said on social media, “Iran wants freedom more than perhaps ever before. America stands ready to help!!!”
What are Iranian leaders saying?
In his first major address to the nation since the protests broke out, Iran’s supreme leader said on January 9 that President Trump should focus on his country’s problems without going into details. Khamenei also accused Iranian protesters of “destroying their cities to please the presidents of other countries.”
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned the US of a “miscalculation” in an interview the next day.
“Let me be clear: in the event of an attack on Iran, the occupied territories (Israel) and all US military bases and ships are legitimate targets,” Qalibaf said, according to Reuters.
Contributor: Kim Hjelmgaard, USA TODAY. Reuters.
Kathryn Palmer is USA TODAY’s political reporter. She can be reached at the following address: kapalmer@usatoday.com And to X@Kathryn Purml. Sign up for her daily politics newsletter here.
