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The former president has threatened to intervene in Iran if its regime use lethal force against demonstrators, resulting in cautionary statements from high-ranking figures in Tehran that any US intervention would cross a “red line”.

An Online Declaration Escalates Diplomatic Strain

Through a social media post on Friday, Trump said that if Iran were to fire upon protesters, the United States would “intervene on their behalf”. He further stated, “we are locked and loaded, and ready to go,” without clarifying what that would involve in practice.

Demonstrations Continue into the Next Phase Amid Financial Turmoil

Protests in Iran are now in their latest phase, marking the most significant in several years. The current unrest were sparked by an steep fall in the country's money on Sunday, with its worth plummeting to about a historic low, worsening an already beleaguered economy.

Several citizens have been lost their lives, among them a member of the Basij security force. Recordings reportedly show security forces carrying shotguns, with the noise of discharges heard in the recordings.

Iranian Authorities Issue Strong Rebukes

Reacting to the statement, Ali Shamkhani, counselor for the country's highest authority, warned that Iran’s national security were a “definitive boundary, not material for adventurist tweets”.

“Any external involvement targeting Iran security on pretexts will be cut off with a regret-inducing response,” Shamkhani wrote.

A separate high-ranking figure, the secretary of Iran’s supreme national security council, claimed the US and Israel of having a hand in the demonstrations, a common refrain by officials in response to protests.

“The US should understand that American involvement in this national affair will lead to turmoil in the Middle East and the destruction of American interests,” he stated. “US citizens must know that the former president is the one that began this escalation, and they should consider the safety of their soldiers.”

Recent History of Conflict and Protest Scale

Iran has previously warned against US troops stationed in the region in the before, and in recent months it attacked a facility in the Gulf after the American attacks on Iranian nuclear enrichment sites.

The current protests have been centered in Tehran but have also extended to other cities, such as a major city. Merchants have shuttered businesses in protest, and activists have gathered on campuses. Though financial hardship are the central grievance, protesters have also voiced anti-government slogans and decried what they said was failures by officials.

Official Approach Changes

The nation's leader, the president, offered talks with representatives, adopting a more conciliatory tone than the government did during the earlier demonstrations, which were put down harshly. He stated that he had ordered the administration to listen to the people's valid concerns.

The recent deaths of demonstrators, could, suggest that officials are adopting a tougher stance against the protests as they continue. A announcement from the state security apparatus on Monday warned that it would respond forcefully against any foreign interference or “unrest” in the country.

As Iranian authorities grapple with internal challenges, it has sought to counter allegations from the US that it is rebuilding its atomic ambitions. Officials has claimed that it is no longer enriching uranium at present and has expressed it is open for negotiations with the west.