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The former president has warned of involvement in the Islamic Republic if its regime use lethal force against protesters, prompting cautionary statements from senior Iranian officials that any involvement from Washington would cross a “red line”.

An Online Post Fuels Tensions

Via a public declaration on recently, the former president stated that if Iran were to use deadly force against demonstrators, the US would “intervene on their behalf”. He added, “our response is imminent,” without clarifying what that might mean in actual terms.

Unrest Continue into the Next Phase Amid Economic Turmoil

Public unrest are now in their second week, representing the most significant since 2022. The current unrest were catalyzed by an sharp drop in the country's money on recently, with its value dropping to about a record depreciation, worsening an precarious economic situation.

Several citizens have been confirmed dead, including a volunteer for the state-affiliated group. Videos reportedly show law enforcement carrying firearms, with the sound of shooting audible in the recordings.

Iranian Leaders Deliver Firm Rebukes

Addressing Trump’s threat, a top adviser, counselor for the supreme leader, stated that Iran’s national security were a “non-negotiable limit, not material for online provocations”.

“Any foreign interference targeting the country's stability on false pretenses will be cut off with a swift consequence,” Shamkhani wrote.

A separate high-ranking figure, the secretary of Iran’s supreme national security council, alleged the outside actors of orchestrating the unrest, a frequent accusation by Tehran when addressing protests.

“The US should understand that US intervention in this national affair will lead to instability across the whole region and the harm to Washington's stakes,” the official wrote. “US citizens must know that the former president is the one that started this adventure, and they should be concerned for the security of their soldiers.”

Recent History of Tensions and Demonstration Scale

Tehran has vowed to strike foreign forces stationed in the Middle East in the before, and in June it launched strikes on Al-Udeid airbase in the Gulf following the American attacks on Iranian nuclear enrichment sites.

The current protests have been centered in Tehran but have also spread to other urban centers, such as Isfahan. Business owners have shuttered businesses in solidarity, and activists have taken over university grounds. Though financial hardship are the central grievance, protesters have also voiced calls for change and decried what they said was graft and poor governance.

Presidential Stance Shifts

The nation's leader, the president, initially invited protest leaders, taking a softer stance than authorities did during the 2022 protests, which were put down harshly. He stated that he had ordered the administration to listen to the demonstrators' core grievances.

The loss of life of demonstrators, though, suggest that authorities are adopting a tougher stance as they address the unrest as they persist. A announcement from the state security apparatus on Monday stated that it would take a harsh line against any foreign interference or “sedition” in the country.

As the government grapple with internal challenges, it has tried to stave off claims from the US that it is rebuilding its nuclear activities. Tehran has said that it is no longer enriching uranium at present and has indicated it is open for dialogue with the west.