Tehran threatens retaliation after Trump vows to protect Iranian protesters

‘Trump should know that U.S. interference in this internal matter would mean destabilizing the entire region and destroying America’s interests‘

Bloomberg News
Ramsey Al-Rikabi and Natalia Drozdiak
Published Jan 02, 2026
3 minute read
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Protesters.
Screengrab of protestors attacking a government building in Fasa, Iran on Dec. 31, 2025. Photo by UGC/AFP via Getty Images

President Donald Trump suggested the U.S. is ready to aid protesters in Iran if authorities crack down on the unrest, prompting a top Iranian official to threaten retaliation against U.S. forces in the region.

Trump’s comments in an early-morning Truth Social post — including a warning that the U.S. is “locked and loaded and ready to go” — rhetorically inject his administration into a swell of protests against worsening economic conditions that set off clashes between security forces and civilians across Iran.