Tehran Threatens Military Retaliation Amid Mass Protests, U.S. Warnings

Iranian supporters gather in front of a large Iranian flag in St Peter’s Square. Protests have erupted globally after the news of people being killed by the Islamic Republic regime while taking part in protests across Iran. Sopa Images | Lightrocket | Getty Images

Tehran Threatens Military Retaliation Amid Mass Protests, U.S. Warnings

Tehran on Sunday warned that it would retaliate against Israel and U.S. military bases if Washington launches strikes on Iran, amid escalating internal unrest and heightened regional tensions. The warning came as Israeli sources said Israel was on high alert over the possibility of U.S. intervention in Iran.

The threat was issued against the backdrop of the largest anti-government protests in Iran since 2022, triggered initially by soaring inflation but now openly challenging Iran’s clerical leadership. U.S. President Donald Trump has in recent days repeatedly warned Iranian authorities against using force on demonstrators, saying on Saturday that the United States stands “ready to help.”

Speaking in parliament, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, a former commander of the Revolutionary Guards, cautioned against what he called “a miscalculation.”

“In the case of an attack on Iran, the occupied territories (Israel) as well as all U.S. bases and ships will be our legitimate target,” Qalibaf said.

Death toll rises amid crackdown

Authorities have intensified efforts to suppress the unrest, which began on December 28 and has spread nationwide. According to U.S.-based rights group HRANA, at least 116 people have been killed, most of them protesters, though the figure also includes 37 members of the security forces.

Iranian authorities accuse the United States and Israel of fomenting the protests, an allegation both countries deny.

Background of regional confrontation

Tensions remain high following a 12-day war between Israel and Iran last June, during which the United States joined Israeli airstrikes. Iran retaliated at the time by firing missiles at a U.S. air base in Qatar.

Information from Iran has been limited due to a near-total internet blackout, with monitoring group Netblocks reporting national connectivity at about 1% of normal levels. Despite this, videos verified by Reuters showed large nighttime protests in Tehran’s Punak neighbourhood, with crowds beating metal railings in defiance.

State television aired funeral processions for fallen security personnel in cities including Gachsaran, Yasuj, Isfahan, and Kermanshah, blaming “rioters” and “terrorists” for the deaths. Authorities also reported the torching of a mosque in Mashhad.

Iran’s police chief, Ahmad-Reza Radan, said security forces had intensified operations against what he described as “rioters,” while the Revolutionary Guards accused “terrorists” of attacking security installations.

U.S., Israel weigh options

On Saturday, Trump wrote on social media: “Iran is looking at FREEDOM, perhaps like never before. The USA stands ready to help!!!”

An Israeli source confirmed that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed the situation with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio during a phone call, including the possibility of U.S. involvement. A U.S. official confirmed the call but declined to disclose details.

A senior U.S. intelligence official described the crisis as an “endurance game,” with protesters attempting to sustain pressure until cracks appear within the regime, while Iranian authorities seek to restore order without provoking direct U.S. military intervention.

Israel has so far avoided signalling direct involvement, despite long-standing concerns over Iran’s nuclear programme and ballistic missile capabilities. In a recent interview, Netanyahu warned that any Iranian attack on Israel would have “horrible consequences,” adding that the situation inside Iran was still unfolding.