U.S. President Donald Trump issued a stark warning to the Islamic Republic of Iran on Friday, following days of violent unrest that have erupted across the country over soaring living costs and a collapsingTrump Warns Iran Over Deadly Unrest, Says U.S. “Locked And Loaded” To Aid Protesters national currency.

The protests — which began as demonstrations against inflation and currency instability — have turned deadly and drawn sharp international attention.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said that if Iranian security forces “shoot and violently kill peaceful protesters,” the United States would “come to their rescue” and that Washington was “locked and loaded and ready to go.”

Trump’s comments marked one of the most direct U.S. threats toward Tehran since the unrest began late last month, as protests spread from Tehran to other cities including Isfahan, Lorestan and the western provinces.

The wave of popular demonstrations has been fuelled by a sharp depreciation of the Iranian rial, record inflation and severe pressure on household incomes.

According to analysts and rights groups, the currency has crashed to historic lows against the U.S. dollar, exacerbating the cost-of-living crisis that triggered mass anger among bazaar merchants, shopkeepers and students.

At least several people have been reported killed in clashes between protesters and security forces in multiple provinces — the deadliest unrest in Iran in years and the most serious since the widespread demonstrations of 2022–2023.

Iranian security officials have vowed to suppress unrest, warning that any illegal gatherings will be met with decisive force. Meanwhile, Iranian authorities have acknowledged only limited deaths, attributing one fatality to a member of the Basij paramilitary, though rights organisations dispute this account.

In response to Trump’s remarks, senior Iranian officials condemned the threat as unwarranted interference in domestic affairs. Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, wrote on social media that U.S. involvement would amount to regional destabilisation and jeopardise American interests.

Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian has sought to take a more conciliatory tone at home, acknowledging that economic mismanagement played a role in sparking the crisis and calling for internal dialogue to address the grievances of citizens.

The situation remains fluid, with protesters continuing to call for economic reforms and broader political change amid mounting frustration over the country’s economic trajectory and governmental policies.