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Ex-President Trump has threatened to intervene in Iran should its authorities kill demonstrators, resulting in admonishments from senior Iranian officials that any US intervention would violate a critical boundary.

An Online Declaration Ignites Diplomatic Strain

In a public declaration on Friday, Trump said that if the country were to use deadly force against demonstrators, the America would “step in to help”. He added, “our response is imminent,” without clarifying what that could entail in practice.

Protests Continue into the Sixth Day Against a Backdrop of Financial Crisis

Protests in Iran are now in their second week, representing the most significant since 2022. The current unrest were triggered by an unprecedented decline in the country's money on recently, with its worth plummeting to about 1.4m to the US dollar, worsening an already beleaguered economy.

Seven people have been confirmed dead, including a member of the Basij security force. Videos circulate showing officials carrying firearms, with the noise of discharges present in the video.

National Leaders Deliver Firm Rebukes

Reacting to Trump’s threat, Ali Shamkhani, adviser to the country's highest authority, cautioned that Iran’s national security were a “red line, not material for adventurist tweets”.

“Any external involvement approaching Iran security on pretexts will be cut off with a regret-inducing response,” he said.

Another senior Iranian official, a key security official, accused the foreign powers of having a hand in the demonstrations, a frequent accusation by Tehran in response to domestic dissent.

“Washington needs to know that foreign interference in this domestic matter will lead to instability across the Middle East and the damage to American interests,” the official declared. “The public must know that Trump is the one that began this escalation, and they should consider the well-being of their military personnel.”

Context of Tensions and Protest Scale

Tehran has threatened to target US troops deployed in the region in the before, and in June it attacked Al-Udeid airbase in the Gulf following the American attacks on Iranian nuclear enrichment sites.

The ongoing demonstrations have occurred in Tehran but have also reached other cities, such as a major city. Business owners have shuttered businesses in solidarity, and activists have taken over university grounds. While economic conditions are the main issue, protesters have also chanted calls for change and criticized what they said was failures by officials.

Presidential Response Changes

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

The loss of life of protesters, though, could signal that authorities are adopting a tougher stance against the unrest as they continue. A statement from the powerful military force on recently warned that it would take a harsh line against any outside meddling or “internal strife” in the country.

As the government deal with protests at home, it has attempted to refute accusations from the US that it is rebuilding its nuclear programme. Officials has said that it is halted enrichment activities anywhere in the country and has indicated it is open for dialogue with the international community.