Here’s a rephrased version of the article, organized into logical sections with smoother flow, active voice, and concise language while retaining all facts and tension.
Trump threatens US intervention if Iran violently quells cost-of-living protests
US President Donald Trump warned Friday on Truth Social that America stands “locked and loaded” to aid peaceful Iranian protesters if security forces shoot and kill them.
The threat follows Iran’s largest protests in three years, sparked by economic woes and turning deadly amid clashes across provinces.
Escalating Unrest
Shopkeepers kicked off demonstrations Sunday over a plunging rial and soaring prices, worsened by US sanctions since Trump’s 2018 nuclear deal exit. Students from 10+ universities joined Tuesday, spreading from Tehran.
Iran’s Fars agency reported two deaths in Lordegan (Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari) and three in Azna (Lorestan) Thursday after protesters hurled stones at government buildings, mosques, and banks. Police fired tear gas; “ringleaders” were arrested amid “severe damage.” In Kouhdasht, a 21-year-old Basij paramilitary—tied to Revolutionary Guards—died defending order; 13 officers/Basij were injured by rocks.
State media brands protesters “rioters.” Iran’s prosecutor general deemed peaceful economic protests legitimate but vowed “decisive” action against chaos, property damage, or “foreign plots.”
Tasnim agency announced Wednesday arrests of seven linked to “US/Europe-based enemies” plotting violence.
Leadership Response
President Masoud Pezeshkian acknowledged “legitimate demands,” urging economic fixes: “Ignoring livelihoods leads to hell,” he said on state TV. Authorities promised firmness, declared a midweek bank holiday for “energy saving” (no protest link admitted), and extended the weekend.
Protests pale vs. 2022’s Mahsa Amini fury (hundreds dead), but a viral Tehran video of a protester facing motorcycle police evoked Tiananmen—later called staged by state TV.
Economic Backdrop
The rial shed over a third vs. the dollar last year; December inflation hit 52% year-on-year, eroding purchasing power.
