President Donald Trump warned Iran early Jan. 2 that the U.S. would “rescue” protesters in the nation if the regime escalates its response to protests over worsening economic conditions spreading across the Middle Eastern country.
“If Iran shots [sic] and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “We are locked and loaded and ready to go.”
Protests began Dec. 28 as demonstrators took to the streets to protest worsening economic conditions, including soaring inflation, unemployment, and the depreciation of Iran’s national currency, FOX News reported. Citing Iranian state media and human rights groups, the outlet added that several people have been killed since the unrest began.
Iranian officials quickly pushed back against Trump’s post. Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, speaker of Iran’s parliament, wrote on X that “all American centers and forces across the entire region will be legitimate targets for us in response to any potential adventurism.”
Iran National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani accused the U.S. and Israel of fomenting the unrest. In a Jan. 2 social media post, Larijani warned that U.S. interference “in this internal matter would mean destabilizing the entire region and destroying America’s interests.”
He added, “The American people should know — Trump started this adventurism. They should be mindful of their soldiers’ safety.”
Trump’s warning followed a Dec. 29 meeting he had with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida. As CatholicVote previously reported, the meeting focused on reviving the stalled U.S.-brokered Gaza ceasefire, countering regional threats from Iran and Hezbollah, and addressing broader instability in the Middle East.
Asked afterward about reports that Iran is accelerating ballistic missile production, Trump warned that “we’ll knock the hell out of them” if the regime’s alleged operations are substantiated.
As CatholicVote previously reported, Trump announced June 21 that the U.S. had carried out strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites following days of direct escalation between Israel and Iran. The clashes began June 13 when Israel launched missile strikes targeting what it described as Iranian nuclear facilities.
Meanwhile, Jewish News Syndicate (JNS), a U.S.-based outlet covering Israel affairs, reported Jan. 1 that Hebrew media say the Israel Defense Forces are accelerating preparations for a potential multi-front conflict “in light of the internal unrest” in Iran. JNS cited Israel’s Channel 12 News, which reported that the preparations form part of a military strategy extending through roughly 2030 and anticipates potential conflict involving Iran, Lebanon, and the West Bank.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian warned Dec. 30 that Iran’s response “to any oppressive aggression” would be “harsh and regrettable.”
Some U.S. lawmakers urged restraint. Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky argued that any military action against Iran would require congressional approval and risk diverting resources from domestic priorities. Massie also claimed that the administration’s threat to engage Iran “isn’t about freedom of speech” but “the dollar, oil, and Israel.”