President Donald Trump issued a blistering warning to the Iranian government on Friday, declaring that the United States is prepared for military intervention if the Islamic Republic continues to use lethal force against citizens protesting a crippling cost-of-living crisis.
The President’s “locked and loaded” message comes as demonstrations across Iran turned deadly on Thursday, with at least six fatalities reported in the first wave of major violence since the unrest began.
Writing on his Truth Social platform, President Trump made it clear that the United States is monitoring the regime’s response in real-time. He signaled a sharp departure from traditional diplomatic restraint, suggesting that any further bloodshed would trigger an American response.
“If Iran shoots and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue,” Trump posted. “We are locked and loaded and ready to go.”
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The President’s ultimatum followed a grim series of reports from the ground. According to the state-affiliated Fars news agency, the city of Lordegan, in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province, saw some of the most intense clashes. Protesters reportedly targeted administrative buildings and banks, leading to a police response involving tear gas and live ammunition that left two people dead.
Further casualties were reported in the city of Azna, in neighboring Lorestan province, where three additional people were killed. State media claimed “rioters” attacked a police commissariat, a narrative the regime has historically used to justify heavy-handed suppressive tactics.
In Kouhdasht, state television reported the death of a 21-year-old member of the Basij—a volunteer paramilitary force linked to the Revolutionary Guards—who was allegedly killed while “defending public order.”
The current wave of unrest was ignited not by social reform, but by sheer economic desperation. On Sunday, shopkeepers in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar went on strike to protest hyperinflation and economic stagnation. Those strikes have since metastasized into a broader political movement, spreading across the country’s provinces.
While the current demonstrations are reportedly smaller in scale than the 2022 “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement—sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini—the underlying anger remains explosive. The 2022 protests resulted in hundreds of deaths and thousands of arrests, a precedent that the Trump administration suggests will not be tolerated this time.
The use of the phrase “locked and loaded”—a term Trump famously popularized during his first term tensions with North Korea—signals that the administration views the Iranian crisis as a top-tier security priority.
As the Islamic Republic grapples with its worst economic downturn in years, the world now watches to see if Tehran will heed Washington’s warning or if the “rescue” Trump promised will manifest into a direct military confrontation.
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