Washington, DC – US President Donald Trump issued his strongest warning yet since the recent unrest erupted in Iran, asserting that the United States will not stand idly by while civilians are targeted. This comes as the crackdown on the ground intensifies, with arrests even targeting minors.
A threat from “Air Force One”
In remarks to reporters aboard Air Force One as he returned to Washington, Trump confirmed that the US administration is monitoring Iranian developments “very closely and very carefully.”
Trump said in a decisive tone: “We are looking into it now. If the Islamic Republic kills people like it has done in the past, it will receive a response that it does not expect. It will get a very strong blow from the United States.”
Observers believe this statement raises expectations regarding the nature of the next US move, noting that Washington has sent a clear message that “excessive violence” against protesters will be met with concrete intervention.
Bloodshed: Heavy toll and continued raids
On the ground, reports from inside Iran paint a grim picture of the situation. The verification team at the Hengaw Human Rights Network has documented the killing of at least 17 citizens by security forces since the start of the latest wave of protests.
The list of those killed included citizens of Lurish, Kurdish and Persian ethnicities, and they were distributed across the provinces of Kermanshah, Lorestan, Hamadan, Isfahan and Fars.
Official sources confirmed the death of a 17-year-old in the city of Qom. This coincided with a widespread campaign of raids targeting activists and children, amid reports of harsh detention conditions.
Iranian opposition: Calls for unity to “liberate Iran”
In the first prominent political reaction to these developments, Iranian opposition figure Reza Pahlavi called on all national forces and opposition movements to “unite their ranks.”
In a speech addressed to the protesters, Pahlavi stressed that national unity is “the only safe way to liberate Iran from the grip of the current regime,” emphasizing that the popular movement has reached a point of no return.
