Trump Warns Iran: US 'Locked and Loaded' to Act Against Violent Crackdown on Protesters

US President Donald Trump has issued a stern warning to Iran, stating that the United States is prepared to intervene if the Iranian government continues to violently suppress peaceful protests. In a post on his Truth Social platform on Friday, Trump declared, 'If Iran shoots and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue. We are locked and loaded and ready to go.' The statement comes amid escalating protests in Iran, which began on December 28 in Tehran's Grand Bazaar over the sharp depreciation of the Iranian rial and worsening economic conditions. The unrest has since spread to several cities nationwide, with reports of at least five fatalities. Former Iranian parliament speaker Ali Larijani responded to Trump's remarks on social media, accusing Israel and the US of stoking the demonstrations and warning that US intervention could lead to regional chaos. The situation continues to deteriorate as Iran faces mounting economic challenges and public discontent.