US President Donald Trump has delivered a fresh and stark warning to Iran as violent protests continue to rock the country. In an interview with News Nation, Trump cautioned Tehran that the situation could spiral dramatically, saying the “whole country is going to get blown up” if the unrest does not stop.
His remarks come just days after he openly spoke about the possibility of regime change in the Islamic Republic. Trump also addressed Iran’s warning of an “all-out war,” claiming he had already issued clear notifications. He said that if anything were to happen, the consequences would be devastating, adding that the United States would be prepared to respond with overwhelming force.
Iran issues a counter warning
Iran responded sharply to Trump’s comments. On Tuesday, Iranian officials warned that any move by the United States against Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei would trigger severe retaliation. Gen. Abolfazl Shekarchi, a spokesperson for Iran’s armed forces, said that if any aggressive action were taken against their leader, Iran would not only strike back but also “set fire to their world,” according to AP.
The warning followed Trump’s earlier remarks to Politico, where he described Khamenei as “a sick man” and urged him to govern properly and stop the killing of protesters.
Trump’s latest statements come against the backdrop of one of the deadliest periods of unrest Iran has seen in years. According to the US based Human Rights Activists News Agency, at least 4,519 people have been killed in the protests so far, with more than 26,300 arrests reported.
The demonstrations began in the final week of December, initially driven by soaring inflation and the sharp fall of the Iranian rial. What started as economic protests quickly grew into wider calls for political change. Iranian authorities, however, have accused the United States and Israel of inflaming tensions and playing a role in fuelling the unrest.
