US President Donald Trump on Tuesday called on Iranian protesters to sustain their demonstrations, declaring that “help is on its way,” without specifying what form that assistance would take.
In a strongly worded post on Truth Social, Trump urged Iranians to “keep protesting” and “take over your institutions,” while asking them to document those responsible for violence against demonstrators. He also announced that he had cancelled all meetings with Iranian officials until the crackdown on protesters stops, warning that those involved in killings and abuse would “pay a big price.”
The post comes in the wake of sweeping protests that have swept Iran. The protests have so far claimed the lives of 2,000 people, including security personnel. Speaking to Reuters, the official blamed what he described as “terrorists” for the deaths of both protesters and members of the security forces, though no detailed breakdown of casualties was provided.
The protests, triggered by severe economic distress, represent the most serious internal challenge to Iran’s clerical establishment in at least three years. They have unfolded amid heightened international pressure following Israeli and US strikes last year, further straining Tehran’s position.
While Iranian authorities have publicly stated that protests over economic hardship are legitimate, they have simultaneously unleashed a sweeping security crackdown, accusing the United States and Israel of orchestrating the unrest and claiming that unnamed hostile actors have hijacked the demonstrations.
Independent rights groups have earlier reported hundreds of deaths and thousands of arrests, though communications restrictions, including widespread internet blackouts, have made verification difficult.
Despite this, videos of violent nighttime clashes between protesters and security forces have circulated online and been verified by Reuters, showing gunfire, burning vehicles and damaged buildings, underscoring the scale and intensity of the confrontation on Iran’s streets.
