Iran’s parliament speaker has warned that American military bases throughout the region will be viewed as legitimate targets should the United States take aggressive action. The Friday threat followed President Trump’s declaration that Washington would intervene if Iranian authorities use deadly force against protesters demanding economic reforms.
Seven people have died in violent confrontations since demonstrations erupted Sunday over Iran’s deteriorating economic situation. The unrest began in Tehran with shopkeepers criticizing government policies but has expanded nationwide as citizens express frustration with currency devaluation and rampant inflation.
Trump’s intervention warning has provoked sharp resistance from Tehran’s leadership. A senior adviser to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei specifically warned that any US involvement in Iran’s domestic crisis would spread chaos beyond the country’s borders, raising concerns about broader regional conflict that could affect energy markets and international trade.
The protests are rooted in profound economic distress. The rial has collapsed to approximately 1.4 million per US dollar, while official figures show inflation hit 42.5 percent in December. This currency crisis has made imports prohibitively expensive and driven up domestic prices, creating severe hardship for ordinary Iranians struggling on stagnant wages.
President Pezeshkian’s administration has sought to project understanding for protesters’ frustrations. Speaking on state television, Pezeshkian used Islamic teachings to frame addressing economic welfare as a moral obligation. Despite this sympathetic tone, he has acknowledged having few options to reverse the currency crisis. The prosecutor general has attempted to distinguish legitimate economic protests from security threats, validating the former while promising decisive action against the latter.
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