Iran’s parliament speaker has issued a stark warning that American military bases and personnel across the region could become targets if the United States pursues aggressive action. The Friday threat followed President Trump’s declaration that Washington would intervene should Iranian authorities use deadly force against demonstrators.
Violent confrontations have claimed seven lives since protests erupted Sunday over Iran’s deteriorating economic situation. The demonstrations initially began in Tehran with shopkeepers criticizing government policies but have spread nationwide as citizens express anger over currency devaluation and soaring inflation.
Trump’s intervention warning has inflamed already dangerous tensions. A senior adviser to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei responded by predicting that any US involvement in Iran’s domestic affairs would ignite chaos throughout the Middle East, potentially destabilizing multiple countries and threatening strategic interests.
The protests are rooted in severe economic distress. Official data shows inflation reached 42.5 percent in December, while the rial has collapsed to approximately 1.4 million per US dollar. This currency crisis has made imported goods prohibitively expensive and driven up domestic prices, creating widespread hardship for ordinary Iranians on stagnant wages.
President Pezeshkian’s civilian government has attempted to project understanding for protesters’ frustrations. Speaking on state television, Pezeshkian used Islamic principles to argue that addressing livelihood concerns carries serious moral weight. Despite this sympathetic tone, he has acknowledged his administration’s severely limited options. The prosecutor general has tried to distinguish legitimate economic protests from security threats, promising decisive action only against the latter.