Iran warned President Donald Trump on Sunday that Israeli and U.S. military bases in the region could be considered “legitimate targets,” after Trump threatened to strike the nation if protestors challenging Iran’s theocracy were killed.
At least 116 people have been killed since demonstrations began two weeks ago, according to figures from the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, and protests continued across Iran throughout the weekend despite an increasingly aggressive crackdown.
“If the United States launches a military attack, both the occupied territory and U.S. military and maritime centers will be our legitimate targets,” Iranian Parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said Sunday in remarks aired on Iranian state television, referring to Israel as the occupied territory.
“Within the framework of legitimate defense, we do not limit ourselves to reacting after an attack,” he added.
Trump had threatened military intervention if Iran moves to crush the protests. Addressing its leaders on Friday, he said: “You better not start shooting, because we’ll start shooting, too.” He offered further support for the protesters on Saturday, saying in a post on Truth Social: “Iran is looking at FREEDOM, perhaps like never before. The USA stands ready to help!!!”
“Do not play games with President Trump. When he says he’ll do something, he means it,” the State Department said separately.
The demonstrations, which were sparked by economic grievances two weeks ago as the currency crashed and inflation soared, have now morphed into one of the biggest challenges the Islamic Republic has faced in its 47-year history, as thousands of people have taken to the streets to demand the ouster of the ruling clergy.
In an address on Iranian state TV on Sunday, Iran’s president Masoud Pezeshkian accused the U.S. and Israel of seeking to sow chaos and disorder in Israel, urging people to distance themselves from “rioters and terrorists.”
General Ahmad Reza Radan, the Commander-in-Chief of Iran’s police force, said on Sunday that an “enhanced” response to the protests was now in place, according to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency. He said a number of arrests had taken place on Saturday.
The Iranian government has not released data on how many protesters have been detained, but the Human Rights Activists News Agency reports at least 2,638 people have been arrested during the protests, which have spanned 574 protest locations 185 cities in the country.
Iran’s Prosecutor-General Mohammad Movahedi Azad said Saturday that protesters would be considered an “enemy of God,” a death-penalty charge in Iran, in remarks reported by Iranian media.
Internet blackouts in Iran continued into Sunday, according to NetBlocks, an internet monitoring group. Amnesty International has called the blackouts an attempt by authorities “to hide the true extent of the grave human rights violations and crimes under international law they are carrying out to crush nationwide protests.”
Security forces sent text messages to people suspected of attending “illegal gatherings,” Iranian state media said Saturday, warning them they have been identified as participants using location data and that covering up with a mask won’t help avoid detection.
The internet blackout has made it difficult for international media to gauge the extent of the protests, but footage verified by NBC News showed hundreds of anti-government protestors gathered at Kaj Square in Tehran, clapping and shouting the name of their country.
Another verified video showed hundreds of protestors gathered in Tehran’s Ponak Square, chanting, playing music and waving their phone torches in the air. Other footage showed scores had also gathered in the city’s Heravi Square, singing and clapping their hands as they marched through the streets.
It is unclear if the videos were taken on Friday or Saturday night. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard-aligned media claimed that Saturday was a “calm” night across the country with security forces having “put the rioters back in their place.”
Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s late shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, continued to encourage the protesters on Sunday after earlier calling for them to prepare to seize city centers across Iran.
Pahlavi, who lives in the U.S. and has emerged as a figurehead for some of the protesters, touted Trump’s support in a post on X Sunday and promised to be with the protesters “soon.”
