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By Amira El-Fekki
Middle East News Reporter
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Iran has warned that statements and actions from the U.S. amount not just to economic pressure but to a broader campaign of interference, combining sanctions, information warfare, and threats of force, which it says violates international law and targets Iran’s sovereignty and internal stability.
Why It Matters
The Islamic Republic is facing severe internal unrest with widespread protests over economic hardship, a sharply depreciated rial and rampant inflation amid ongoing sanctions. Rights groups report lethal force against demonstrators and thousands of arrests, raising human rights concerns.
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U.S. President Donald Trump, who just orchestrated a strike on Venezuela, capturing its President Nicolás Maduro, has threatened to intervene if Iran's regime continues to kill protesters.
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What To Know
Iran's Foreign Ministry said it recognized peaceful protests and legitimate demands, while blaming what it called a "large part of these problems" on the United States' "all-out economic and financial war against the Iranian people, carried out through illegal and unjust sanctions," according to a recent statement.
Protests that began at the end of December over severe economic hardship, including skyrocketing inflation and a collapsing rial, have now spread across all provinces of Iran, involving rural towns and major cities alike. Violence around the demonstrations reportedly killed at least 38 people, and more than 2,200 others have been detained, according to the Associated Press. Iranian media reported that two security force members were killed.
Since taking office in January, Trump intensified “maximum pressure” on Iran, targeting its oil exports and financial networks through tighter sanctions amid a nuclear standoff, while recently signaling he could support Israeli strikes against Iranian targets if Tehran’s actions threaten U.S. or allied interests.
The Trump administration has floated the idea of changing the Iranian regime during the June conflict, with Trump recently posing with a “Make Iran Great Again” hat following Maduro's capture.
Iran said there could be “pre‑emptive” military responses, with Iran’s army chief, Major General Amir Hatami, publicly warning a day earlier that it views the rhetoric by U.S. leaders as "hostile" and a "threat" that will not go unanswered, according to the semi-official Mehr news agency.
What People Are Saying
Iran's Foreign Ministry, in a statement on Wednesday: "The great Iranian nation, as it has repeatedly demonstrated throughout its turbulent history, will confront malicious foreign interference with vigilance, reliance on its authentic Iranian-Islamic heritage, and the strengthening of national unity, and will not allow the deceptive policies and hostile behavior of the United States to undermine Iran’s national sovereignty, independence, and dignity."
U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters on Monday: “If they start killing people like they have in the past, I think they’re going to get hit very hard by the United States.”
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in an X post on January 3: "Protesting is legitimate, but protesting is different from rioting. We talk with protesters. The officials must talk with the protesters. But, there’s no point in talking with a rioter. Rioters must be put in their place."
What Happens Next
The growth of the protests increases the pressure on Iran’s civilian government and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, while the country's military has been put on high alert for any potential attack by Israel or the U.S.
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