Trump exchanges threats with Iran officials over protests
AP News••general
Key Points:
- U.S. President Donald Trump warned Iran on social media that the U.S. would intervene if Iranian authorities violently suppress peaceful protests, amid ongoing demonstrations triggered by the collapse of Iran's rial currency.
- Iranian officials, including Ali Larijani and Ali Shamkhani, accused the U.S. and Israel of fomenting unrest and warned against foreign intervention, emphasizing potential regional chaos and threats to Iran's security.
- The protests, now in their sixth day, represent the largest economic demonstrations in Iran since 2022 but have not reached the scale or intensity of the nationwide protests following Mahsa Amini's death.
- Iran's reformist civilian government, led by President Masoud Pezeshkian, has expressed willingness to negotiate with protesters
