Trump renews threats against Iran, says US 'ready to help'

US President Donald Trump said that the United States “stands ready to help” amid the ongoing situation in Iran, renewing his threats against the Middle Eastern nation and claiming that Iran is “looking at FREEDOM.”

“Iran is looking at FREEDOM, perhaps like never before. The USA stands ready to help!!!” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

Trump and other senior US officials have repeatedly warned that Washington would take action if Iran “kills peaceful protesters,” Chinese news agency reported.

“If they start killing people … we will get involved,” Trump told reporters on Friday, adding that “that doesn’t mean boots on the ground, but it means hitting them very, very hard where it hurts.”

Iran’s Foreign Ministry on Wednesday condemned what it described as “interventionist and deceptive” remarks by the Trump administration regarding the unrest, saying the comments reflected Washington’s continued hostility toward the Iranian people.

Protests have erupted in several Iranian cities since late December over the sharp fall of the rial and long-standing economic hardship. Iranian authorities have acknowledged the demonstrations and expressed willingness to address economic grievances, while warning against violence and vandalism.

Meanwhile, the Iranian military pledged to defend national interests, protect strategic infrastructure and public property amid the ongoing protests. In a statement carried by state broadcaster IRIB, the military urged Iranians to unite to “thwart the enemy’s plots.”

The statement accused Israel and “hostile terrorist organisations” of “attempting to undermine order and peace in cities and disrupt public security through another conspiracy,” and of “trying to incite another rebellion in the name of supporting the Iranian people.”

It added that the army, along with other armed forces, under the command of Ali Khamenei, would closely monitor enemy movements and resolutely defend national interests while safeguarding strategic infrastructure and public property.

(This story was taken from syndicated feed and was only edited for style by Gujarat Samachar Digital team)