‘Iran’s security is a red line’: Tehran warns Trump against intervening in protests

Shopkeepers and traders protest in the street against the economic conditions and Iran's embattled currency in Tehran on December 29, 2025. (Photo by HANDOUT / FARS NEWS AGENCY / AFP)

Iran warned the US against intervening in its internal affairs after President Trump threatened action if Iran used force on protesters. Iranian officials blamed the US and Israel for fueling unrest amid ongoing protests over economic issues and rising prices.

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Iran has issued a strong warning to the United States against any involvement in its internal affairs after US president Donald Trump said Washington would step in if Iranian authorities used force against protesters.

The warning came from Ali Shamkhani, an adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Shamkhani said, “Iran’s security is a red line,” and added, “Any intervening hand nearing Iran’s security on pretexts will be cut off with a regret-inducing response.”

Shamkhani also took aim at Washington’s record in the region, saying Iranians were well aware of what American “rescue” looks like. He referred to past US actions in Iraq, Afghanistan and Gaza, suggesting they had brought destruction rather than stability.

His remarks followed comments by Trump on Truth Social, where the US president warned Tehran against cracking down on demonstrators. Trump said that if Iran “violently kills peaceful protesters,” the United States would “come to their rescue,” adding that Washington was “locked and loaded.”

The sharp exchange comes as protests in Iran entered their sixth day in several areas of the country. The demonstrations have largely been driven by worsening economic conditions, rising prices and the steep fall of Iran’s currency. In some places, protesters have also shouted slogans against the ruling establishment, according to reports.

Iranian officials say at least seven people have been killed so far in incidents linked to the unrest. Authorities have repeatedly accused foreign powers of using economic grievances to stir instability inside the country.

Another senior figure, Ali Larijani, who serves as secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, also blamed the United States and Israel for fuelling the protests. In a post on X, he warned that any American intervention would lead to “chaos in the entire region” and damage US interests. Larijani said Iran differentiates between legitimate protesters and what he called “saboteurs,” and warned that outside interference would only worsen tensions.

The current unrest is the most serious Iran has seen since 2022, when nationwide protests erupted after the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody. That wave of protests posed one of the biggest challenges to Iran’s leadership in recent years, and the latest demonstrations are once again testing the country’s political stability.