Iran’s parliament speaker has warned that American military bases throughout the region will be viewed as legitimate targets should the United States take aggressive action. The Friday threat followed President Trump’s declaration that Washington would intervene if Iranian authorities use deadly force against protesters demanding economic reforms.
Seven people have died in violent confrontations since demonstrations began Sunday over Iran’s deteriorating economic situation. The protests started in Tehran with shopkeepers criticizing government policies but have expanded nationwide as citizens express fury over currency collapse and soaring inflation.
Trump’s intervention warning has provoked sharp resistance from Tehran’s leadership. A senior adviser to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei specifically warned that any US involvement in Iran’s domestic crisis would spread chaos beyond the country’s borders, raising concerns about broader regional conflict.
The protests are rooted in profound economic distress. Official figures show inflation hit 42.5 percent in December, while the national currency has collapsed to approximately 1.4 million rials per dollar. This currency crisis has made imports prohibitively expensive and driven up domestic prices, creating severe hardship for ordinary Iranians on stagnant wages.
President Pezeshkian’s civilian government has sought to project understanding for protesters’ frustrations. Speaking on state television, Pezeshkian used Islamic principles to frame addressing economic welfare as a moral obligation. Despite this sympathetic rhetoric, he has acknowledged having few options to reverse the currency crisis. The prosecutor general has attempted to distinguish legitimate economic protests from security threats, promising decisive action only against the latter.