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Donald Trump has threatened to intervene in the Islamic Republic should its regime harm demonstrators, prompting admonishments from Iran's leadership that any US intervention would overstep a definitive limit.

A Social Media Statement Fuels Tensions

In a social media post on Friday, the former president declared that if Iran were to fire upon protesters, the America would “come to their rescue”. He further stated, “we are prepared to act,” without explaining what that would involve in reality.

Protests Continue into the New Week Against a Backdrop of Economic Strain

Protests in Iran are now in their latest phase, marking the biggest in recent memory. The ongoing protests were catalyzed by an sharp drop in the country's money on recently, with its worth falling to about 1.4m to the US dollar, further exacerbating an precarious economic situation.

Seven people have been lost their lives, among them a volunteer for the Basij security force. Videos have shown officials armed with firearms, with the audio of gunfire present in the background.

Tehran's Authorities Deliver Stark Rebukes

In response to Trump’s threat, an official, counselor for the supreme leader, warned that the nation's sovereignty were a “definitive boundary, not a subject for adventurist tweets”.

“Any external involvement nearing the country's stability on pretexts will be severed with a swift consequence,” the official posted.

Another senior Iranian official, Ali Larijani, claimed the foreign powers of orchestrating the unrest, a typical response by officials in response to domestic dissent.

“The US should understand that foreign interference in this domestic matter will lead to destabilisation of the Middle East and the harm to Washington's stakes,” the official wrote. “The public must know that the former president is the one that began this escalation, and they should pay attention to the security of their military personnel.”

Context of Strain and Demonstration Nature

Tehran has previously warned against foreign forces stationed in the region in the past, and in June it launched strikes on Al-Udeid airbase in Qatar following the American attacks on its nuclear facilities.

The present unrest have occurred in Tehran but have also reached other urban centers, such as a major city. Business owners have gone on strike in protest, and youth have taken over university grounds. While financial hardship are the central grievance, demonstrators have also chanted anti-government slogans and criticized what they said was graft and poor governance.

Government Stance Evolves

The head of state, the president, initially invited protest leaders, adopting a more conciliatory tone than the government did during the 2022 protests, which were violently suppressed. Pezeshkian stated that he had directed the government to listen to the protesters’ “legitimate demands”.

The recent deaths of demonstrators, though, suggest that authorities are taking a harder line as they address the unrest as they continue. A communiqué from the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps on Monday cautioned that it would respond forcefully against any outside meddling or “unrest” in the country.

While the government deal with internal challenges, it has sought to counter accusations from the US that it is reviving its nuclear activities. Tehran has said that it is halted enrichment activities anywhere in the country and has signaled it is open for dialogue with the west.