Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
Iran’s top national security official has warned US President Donald Trump against interfering in Iran’s internal affairs, cautioning that any US military action could endanger American troops stationed across the Middle East and destabilise the wider region.
The warning was issued on Friday by Ali Larijani, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, in response to recent comments by Trump and Israeli officials concerning protests triggered by the sharp depreciation of Iran’s national currency, the rial.
Larijani said the remarks exposed what he described as covert coordination among Iran’s adversaries aimed at exploiting domestic economic challenges.
“Trump should know that U.S. interference in this internal matter would mean destabilising the entire region and destroying America’s interests,” Larijani said, according to Press TV.
Addressing the American public directly, he added: “The American people should know — Trump started this adventurism. They should be mindful of their soldiers’ safety.”
The Iranian official stressed that authorities clearly distinguish between legitimate economic grievances and deliberate attempts to create unrest.
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“We differentiate between the stance of protesting shopkeepers and the actions of disruptive actors,” Larijani said.
Trump, however, adopted a more confrontational tone, stating in a social media post that the United States was prepared to respond militarily to developments in Iran.
“If Iran shots (sic) 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,” Trump said.
The protests began on Sunday after shopkeepers in Tehran temporarily shut down their businesses to protest the rapid fall of the rial, which has plunged to record lows against the US dollar, deepening economic hardship for ordinary Iranians.
Iranian authorities have acknowledged the severe economic pressure facing the population and have reiterated that peaceful protests are lawful. However, they have also warned that foreign-backed elements are attempting to hijack demonstrations and incite violence.
Attorney-General Mohammad Movahedi-Azad described the economic protests as a “recognisable reality” that should be addressed through legal and institutional means, while cautioning against organised efforts to turn demonstrations into widespread unrest.
Iran’s economy has remained under sustained strain since 2018, when the United States reimposed sweeping sanctions after Trump withdrew Washington from the UN-endorsed nuclear agreement, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), during his first term.
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