Iran threatens to target US bases in Middle East in response to potential intervention

US President Donald Trump has warned Washington could go in to support protests in the Islamic Republic

Tehran would consider US forces in the Middle East legitimate targets if Washington tries to intervene in Iran’s handling of the ongoing mass protests, the Iranian parliament speaker, Mohammad Ghalibaf, has warned. His words came after President Donald Trump stated that America was “locked and loaded” and could go in at any moment.

Large-scale demonstrations began in the Islamic Republic in late December when merchants in Tehran went on strike after the national currency, the rial, hit a record low. The protests quickly spread to other cities and turned political and violent.

“The disrespectful president of America should … know that … all American centers and forces across the entire region will be legitimate targets for us in response to any potential adventurism,” Ghalibaf said in a statement on X on Friday, commenting on Trump’s post on Truth Social earlier the same day.

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The protests are the worst since the 2022 turmoil prompted by the death in police custody of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old accused of improper hijab. It triggered weeks of violent unrest, resulting in more than 200 deaths across the country and thousands of arrests.

Videos circulated online suggested that the crowds have attacked government buildings and facilities linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Casualties were also reported among both the protesters and the security forces.

The US president warned that Washington could intervene if Iran “shoots and violently kills peaceful protesters.”

Foreign intelligence agents had sought to transform legitimate protests into violent urban battles, the Iranian official said, adding that those attempts were thwarted. Tehran is capable of discerning between protesters and “foreign mercenaries” and would never mistreat its people, the parliament speaker maintained.

Earlier, Iran’s archrival Israel openly endorsed the unrest. Its Mossad spy agency also claimed it had agents on the ground. Tehran warned on Friday that any intervention into Iran’s security would be followed with a “regret-inducing response.”