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Donald Trump has threatened to intervene in Iran if its regime harm protesters, leading to warnings from high-ranking figures in Tehran that any involvement from Washington would overstep a definitive limit.

A Public Post Fuels Tensions

Via a public declaration on recently, Trump declared that if Iran were to fire upon demonstrators, the US would “step in to help”. He noted, “we are locked and loaded, and ready to go,” without detailing what that could entail in reality.

Demonstrations Enter the Next Phase Against a Backdrop of Financial Strain

Protests in Iran are now in their sixth day, representing the largest in recent memory. The present demonstrations were catalyzed by an unprecedented decline in the national currency on Sunday, with its worth dropping to about 1.4m to the US dollar, further exacerbating an already beleaguered economy.

Several citizens have been reported killed, among them a member of the Basij security force. Footage circulate showing security forces carrying firearms, with the audio of gunfire heard in the video.

Tehran's Officials Issue Stark Warnings

In response to Trump’s threat, Ali Shamkhani, adviser to the supreme leader, cautioned that internal matters were a “non-negotiable limit, not a subject for reckless social media posts”.

“Any foreign interference targeting our national security on false pretenses will be met with a forceful retaliation,” Shamkhani said.

A separate high-ranking figure, Ali Larijani, accused the US and Israel of orchestrating the unrest, a common refrain by Tehran when addressing protests.

“Trump must realize that American involvement in this domestic matter will lead to turmoil in the Middle East and the harm to American interests,” the official declared. “The American people must know that Trump is the one that initiated this provocation, and they should be concerned for the well-being of their soldiers.”

Recent History of Tensions and Protest Scope

Iran has vowed to strike American soldiers deployed in the Middle East in the before, and in June it attacked a facility in the Gulf after the US struck its nuclear facilities.

The present unrest have taken place in Tehran but have also extended to other cities, such as Isfahan. Shopkeepers have shuttered businesses in solidarity, and activists have taken over university grounds. Though financial hardship are the primary complaint, protesters have also chanted anti-government slogans and criticized what they said was failures by officials.

Official Stance Shifts

The head of state, Masoud Pezeshkian, initially invited protest leaders, taking a softer stance than authorities did during the earlier demonstrations, which were violently suppressed. The president said that he had ordered the government to listen to the demonstrators' core grievances.

The loss of life of protesters, though, may indicate that authorities are taking a harder line against the protests as they continue. A statement from the powerful military force on Monday cautioned that it would respond forcefully against any outside meddling or “sedition” in the country.

While Iranian authorities deal with protests at home, it has attempted to refute accusations from the US that it is reconstituting its nuclear programme. Officials has claimed that it is ceased such work domestically and has signaled it is ready for negotiations with the international community.