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Iran protests spread nationwide as deaths reported, tensions rise after Trump comments

Iran protests intensify following the collapse of the rial, with multiple deaths reported during clashes. U.S. President Donald Trump’s remarks today further raise tensions with Tehran

Iran protests are continuing to spread across the country, driven by mounting economic pressure and the sharp collapse of the national currency, as authorities report several deaths during clashes between demonstrators and security forces. The unrest, which began on Sunday in Tehran, has since expanded to multiple cities in western and southwestern Iran.

According to Iran’s Fars news agency, at least two people were killed in the city of Lordegan, in southwestern Iran, during confrontations between protesters and security forces. Additional fatalities were reported in Azna and Kouhdasht, in the west of the country. Officials describe the incidents as violent unrest, while human rights groups claim the victims were demonstrators shot during crackdowns.

The Kurdish rights organization Hengaw reported that those killed in Lordegan were civilians taking part in demonstrations over rising prices and worsening living conditions. In Kouhdasht, conflicting accounts have emerged: state media say a member of the security forces was killed, while protesters insist the victim was a demonstrator fatally shot by police. Authorities have also reported injuries among police officers and members of the Basij militia.

The Iran protests are rooted in deepening economic distress, exacerbated by inflation, unemployment and the rapid devaluation of the rial. What began as largely peaceful demonstrations has, in some areas, escalated into nighttime clashes, stone-throwing and confrontations with security forces.

Against this backdrop, U.S. President Donald Trump weighed in on the situation today, warning that the United States would be ready to act if Iranian authorities violently suppress peaceful demonstrators. His comments have added an international dimension to the Iran protests, heightening already strained relations between Washington and Tehran.

Iranian officials reacted sharply. Ali Larijani, an adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, warned the United States against any interference in Iran’s internal affairs, stating that national security is a “red line.” He cautioned that U.S. involvement would destabilize the entire region and harm American interests.

Ali Shamkhani, a senior national security adviser, echoed that message, citing past U.S. interventions in the Middle East and warning that any attempt to exploit the protests as a pretext for intervention would be met with a firm response. Iranian officials insist the Iran protests are a domestic matter and reject external pressure.

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