US President Donald Trump has escalated his rhetoric toward Iran, urging citizens to continue protesting against the country’s clerical rulers and promising unspecified assistance, as Tehran faces its largest demonstrations in years. The unrest has drawn international attention, heightening tensions across the Middle East and prompting strong reactions from world powers.
“Iranian Patriots, KEEP PROTESTING — TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!!… HELP IS ON ITS WAY,” Trump posted on his social media platform Truth Social on Tuesday (US time). In the same post, he said he had canceled all planned meetings with Iranian officials until the “senseless killing” of protesters stopped. Trump further instructed demonstrators to document the names of those responsible for the violence, warning, “they will pay a big price.”
The current wave of unrest, initially triggered by a sharp decline in the value of Iran’s currency and growing economic hardship, has rapidly evolved into a nationwide challenge to the ruling clerical establishment. It comes amid rising international pressure following Israeli and US military strikes last year, which targeted Iran’s regional influence.
Iranian authorities reported the death toll for the first time since protests began, citing roughly 2,000 fatalities, although they did not provide a detailed breakdown. Separately, the US-based rights group HRANA has confirmed 1,850 of these deaths were protesters. HRANA also reported a sharp increase in arrests, with 16,784 individuals detained across the country, up significantly from the previous day’s figures.
In response to Trump’s statements, Iranian security chief Ali Larijani accused both the former US president and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of being the “main killers” of the Iranian people, using the social media platform X to issue the denunciation. Iranian authorities have consistently claimed that foreign actors, particularly the United States and Israel, are attempting to stoke unrest and destabilize the country.
Trump’s recent moves include not only his direct call for protests but also the announcement of 25 percent import tariffs on products from countries trading with Iran, a significant escalation in economic pressure against Tehran. The former president has also indicated that additional military options remain under consideration to punish Iran over its violent crackdown.
Tehran has yet to respond publicly to the new tariffs, although China quickly criticized the US move. Iran, already heavily sanctioned by Washington, relies on exports of oil and gas to China, while other major trading partners include Turkey, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, and India. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Monday that communication with US special envoy Steve Witkoff has continued during the protests, and that Tehran is “studying ideas proposed by Washington.”
Meanwhile, Russia condemned what it described as “subversive external interference” in Iran’s domestic affairs. Moscow warned that any repeat of last year’s US strikes would have “disastrous consequences” for both regional stability and international security, reflecting a growing concern over escalating tensions in the Middle East.
Despite weeks of sustained demonstrations, economic hardship, and mounting external pressure, Iran’s clerical leadership shows no apparent sign of internal collapse. Security forces remain largely unified, indicating that the system established since the 1979 Islamic Revolution is holding firm, at least for the moment.
European nations have voiced their condemnation of the Iranian government’s crackdown. Britain, France, Germany, and Italy summoned Iranian ambassadors to register their protest. The German Foreign Ministry called the actions “shocking” on social media, while Chancellor Friedrich Merz suggested that the clerical government could be in its “final days and weeks,” claiming that any regime reliant on violence for survival is effectively at its end.
Araqchi, however, dismissed such statements, accusing Berlin of hypocrisy and asserting that Germany’s comments “obliterated any shred of credibility.” These conflicting perspectives underline the uncertainty surrounding Iran’s political future and the international community’s divided approach to addressing the crisis.
The protests, which began on December 28 with demonstrations against the collapsing currency, have expanded into widespread unrest, with calls for the fall of Iran’s ruling clerics. Authorities have taken a dual approach, cracking down on street protests while simultaneously acknowledging that grievances over economic hardship are legitimate.
Observers note that the unrest represents a significant internal challenge for Tehran, one of the region’s longstanding powers, and has broader implications for regional security. The international community remains closely attentive, weighing economic sanctions, diplomatic pressure, and potential military options against the potential for destabilization in a country critical to Middle Eastern geopolitics.
As demonstrations persist, the situation in Iran continues to evolve rapidly. Analysts warn that while the regime remains structurally intact, the combination of domestic dissent and international pressure could lead to unpredictable outcomes in the coming weeks. Trump’s call for continued protests, coupled with economic and military threats, marks a new chapter in an already tense standoff between the United States and Iran, raising the stakes for both the Iranian people and global diplomacy.
