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Ex-President Trump has stated he would step in in the Islamic Republic should its regime harm demonstrators, leading to admonishments from high-ranking figures in Tehran that any involvement from Washington would overstep a definitive limit.

A Public Post Escalates Tensions

Via a social media post on Friday, the former president said that if Iran were to use deadly force against demonstrators, the America would “come to their rescue”. He added, “we are prepared to act,” without clarifying what that would involve in practice.

Protests Continue into the Next Phase Against a Backdrop of Financial Strain

Demonstrations across the nation are now in their second week, constituting the biggest in recent memory. The current unrest were sparked by an unprecedented decline in the national currency on recently, with its worth dropping to about a record depreciation, worsening an precarious economic situation.

Seven people have been lost their lives, including a volunteer for the paramilitary organization. Recordings reportedly show officials carrying shotguns, with the sound of shooting audible in the video.

National Officials Issue Firm Warnings

Reacting to the intervention warning, Ali Shamkhani, counselor for the country's highest authority, cautioned that internal matters were a “non-negotiable limit, not a subject for adventurist tweets”.

“Any external involvement nearing our national security on any excuse will be met with a swift consequence,” the official said.

A separate high-ranking figure, the secretary of Iran’s supreme national security council, accused the outside actors of orchestrating the demonstrations, a frequent accusation by Tehran in response to protests.

“Trump must realize that foreign interference in this national affair will lead to instability across the Middle East and the harm to US assets,” he wrote. “The public must know that Trump is the one that started this adventure, and they should be concerned for the security of their troops.”

Recent History of Strain and Demonstration Scope

Iran has previously warned against foreign forces deployed in the Middle East in the past, and in recent months it launched strikes on Al-Udeid airbase in the Gulf following the American attacks on related infrastructure.

The current protests have taken place in the capital but have also spread to other urban centers, such as Isfahan. Merchants have closed their stores in protest, and youth have gathered on university grounds. While economic conditions are the main issue, demonstrators have also chanted political demands and criticized what they said was corruption and mismanagement.

Official Response Shifts

The nation's leader, the president, initially invited demonstration organizers, adopting a more conciliatory tone than the government did during the previous unrest, which were put down harshly. Pezeshkian said that he had instructed the government to listen to the protesters’ “legitimate demands”.

The recent deaths of demonstrators, though, could signal that the state are taking a harder line against the unrest as they continue. A communiqué from the powerful military force on Monday cautioned that it would respond forcefully against any outside meddling or “unrest” in the country.

As Iranian authorities deal with protests at home, it has sought to counter claims from the United States that it is rebuilding its atomic ambitions. Iran has claimed that it is halted enrichment activities domestically and has indicated it is ready for dialogue with the international community.