Iran protests enter ninth day as Trump renews intervention threat
BBC••general
Key Points:
- Protests driven by Iran's worsening economy have entered their ninth day, with demonstrations reported in at least 26 of the country's 31 provinces and at least 19 protesters and one security force member killed.
- US President Donald Trump warned that the US would respond strongly if Iranian authorities continued to kill protesters, while Iranian officials acknowledged protesters' "legitimate demands" but vowed to confront foreign interference and maintain order.
- The protests began on 28 December over the sharp decline of the Iranian rial and rising inflation, spreading from shopkeepers in Tehran to university students and multiple cities nationwide.
- Videos show protesters chanting slogans against Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and calling for the return of the exiled former royal family, amid reports of
