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Ex-President Trump has threatened to intervene in Iran should its authorities use lethal force against protesters, prompting admonishments from high-ranking figures in Tehran that any involvement from Washington would overstep a definitive limit.

A Public Statement Fuels Tensions

Via a social media post on Friday, the former president said that if Iran were to use deadly force against protesters, the United States would “intervene on their behalf”. He further stated, “we are prepared to act,” without explaining what that could entail in practice.

Demonstrations Enter the Next Phase Against a Backdrop of Economic Strain

Public unrest are now in their second week, representing the most significant in recent memory. The current unrest were triggered by an unprecedented decline in the national currency on recently, with its value falling to about a record depreciation, further exacerbating an precarious economic situation.

Multiple individuals have been reported killed, including a member of the state-affiliated group. Footage reportedly show officials carrying firearms, with the audio of gunfire heard in the video.

Tehran's Authorities Deliver Firm Rebukes

In response to the statement, an official, counselor for the supreme leader, cautioned that the nation's sovereignty were a “definitive boundary, not fodder for adventurist tweets”.

“Any external involvement approaching our national security on pretexts will be met with a forceful retaliation,” Shamkhani said.

Another senior Iranian official, a key security official, alleged the US and Israel of being involved in the protests, a typical response by officials in response to domestic dissent.

“Trump must realize that US intervention in this domestic matter will lead to instability across the Middle East and the destruction of American interests,” he declared. “The public must know that Trump is the one that started this adventure, and they should consider the safety of their military personnel.”

Background of Tensions and Protest Scale

Tehran has previously warned against American soldiers based in the Middle East in the before, and in recent months it attacked a facility in Qatar after the US struck related infrastructure.

The current protests have been centered in the capital but have also extended to other cities, such as a major city. Business owners have closed their stores in solidarity, and activists have taken over campuses. Though financial hardship are the main issue, demonstrators have also chanted calls for change and criticized what they said was graft and poor governance.

Government Response Evolves

The nation's leader, Masoud Pezeshkian, first called for representatives, taking a softer stance than the government did during the previous unrest, which were put down harshly. He stated that he had directed the administration to listen to the demonstrators' core grievances.

The loss of life of protesters, however, suggest that the state are becoming more forceful as they address the protests as they continue. A communiqué from the state security apparatus on Monday cautioned that it would respond forcefully against any foreign interference or “unrest” in the country.

As Iranian authorities grapple with domestic dissent, it has tried to stave off allegations from the United States that it is rebuilding its nuclear activities. Tehran has claimed that it is no longer enriching uranium at present and has expressed it is willing to engage in dialogue with the west.