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Ex-President Trump has threatened to intervene in Iran if its regime use lethal force against protesters, leading to cautionary statements from senior Iranian officials that any involvement from Washington would cross a “red line”.

A Public Statement Escalates Diplomatic Strain

Via a social media post on Friday, Trump stated that if Iran were to use deadly force against demonstrators, the America would “intervene on their behalf”. He added, “we are locked and loaded, and ready to go,” without explaining what that would involve in practice.

Unrest Enter the Sixth Day Amid Economic Turmoil

Demonstrations across the nation are now in their sixth day, constituting the largest in recent memory. The present demonstrations were triggered by an steep fall in the national currency on Sunday, with its worth plummeting to about 1.4m to the US dollar, further exacerbating an precarious economic situation.

Seven people have been reported killed, among them a volunteer for the state-affiliated group. Footage circulate showing officials armed with firearms, with the noise of discharges heard in the video.

National Officials Issue Firm Responses

Reacting to the intervention warning, Ali Shamkhani, counselor for the supreme leader, warned that the nation's sovereignty were a “red line, not a subject for adventurist tweets”.

“Any intervening hand approaching Iran security on any excuse will be met with a swift consequence,” the official posted.

Another senior Iranian official, Ali Larijani, alleged the outside actors of being involved in the unrest, a common refrain by officials in response to protests.

“The US should understand that foreign interference in this internal issue will lead to turmoil in the entire area and the damage to Washington's stakes,” he wrote. “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 troops.”

Context of Tensions and Demonstration Scale

The nation has threatened to target American soldiers based in the Middle East in the before, and in recent months it attacked Al-Udeid airbase in Qatar following the US struck Iranian nuclear enrichment sites.

The current protests have been centered in Tehran but have also reached other urban centers, such as Isfahan. Shopkeepers have shuttered businesses in protest, and activists have taken over university grounds. Though the currency crisis are the primary complaint, demonstrators have also voiced calls for change and criticized what they said was graft and poor governance.

Official Response Shifts

The nation's leader, Masoud Pezeshkian, first called for protest leaders, taking a more conciliatory tone than authorities did during the previous unrest, which were put down harshly. He said that he had ordered the administration to listen to the people's valid concerns.

The fatalities of protesters, could, could signal that officials are adopting a tougher stance as they address the unrest as they continue. A statement from the powerful military force on recently stated that it would respond forcefully against any foreign interference or “sedition” in the country.

While Iranian authorities face internal challenges, it has tried to stave off claims from the US that it is reconstituting its nuclear activities. Tehran has stated that it is no longer enriching uranium anywhere in the country and has expressed it is open for dialogue with the west.