Trump warns Tehran that US ‘stands ready to help’ Iranian protesters as regime crackdown intensifies | EUROtoday

Donald Trump has warned Iran that the US is “ready to help” protesters within the Islamic Republic on a day the nation’s clerical regime tightened its clampdown on demonstrations, with claims that 100 “armed rioters” have been arrested.

More than 100 individuals are feared to have been killed within the protests, which have swept throughout the nation after beginning two weeks in the past.

On Saturday, following an evening of protest in a number of cities, together with the capital Tehran, the Iranian lawyer common warned that anybody participating can be thought-about an “enemy of God”, a sentence that carries the loss of life penalty.

On the identical day, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps additionally accused “terrorists” of concentrating on army and legislation enforcement bases, whereas the nation’s military mentioned it might be a part of the crackdown to “firmly safeguard national interests”.

Iranian media reported that 100 “armed rioters” had been arrested.

However, on Saturday night time, Iranian protesters returned to the streets, in response to US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, which described the gatherings as “scattered, short-lived and fluid” because of the risk from safety forces.

Despite the web being down and cellphone traces lower off within the nation, the organisation claims to have confirmed 116 individuals killed within the protests, together with seven aged below 18. More than 2,638 individuals have been arrested, together with 327 on Saturday, the group added.

On Saturday night, Mr Trump provided assist for the protesters, saying on social media that “Iran is looking at FREEDOM, perhaps like never before. The USA stands ready to help!!!”

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Earlier within the day, US secretary of state Marco Rubio wrote on the social platform X: “The United States supports the brave people of Iran.”

It was Mr Trump’s second risk in opposition to Tehran – on Friday he mentioned if Iran’s regime “violently kills peaceful protesters” the US “will come to their rescue”. On Saturday, The Wall Street Journal reported that officers from Mr Trump’s administration had had preliminary discussions on tips on how to perform an assault on Iran, if required.

According to the National Council of Resistance of Iran, cities throughout Iran had witnessed widespread demonstrations and confrontations on Friday. Footage posted on social media confirmed massive crowds gathered in Tehran and fires lit on the street at night time.

State media mentioned a municipal constructing was set on fireplace in Karaj, west of Tehran, and blamed “rioters”. State TV broadcast footage of funerals of members of the safety forces it mentioned have been killed in protests within the cities of Shiraz, Qom and Hamedan.

Meanwhile, a physician in northwestern Iran mentioned that since Friday massive numbers of injured protesters had been dropped at hospitals. Some have been badly crushed, struggling head accidents and damaged legs and arms, in addition to deep cuts.

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Iranian state TV has additionally reported safety drive casualties whereas portraying management over the nation.

On Saturday, dozens of individuals have been accused of disrupting public order and utilizing firearms and different weapons in opposition to safety forces and legislation enforcement, in response to the governor of Baharestan, in Tehran province.

The exiled son of Iran’s final shah, Reza Pahlavi, who has emerged as a outstanding voice within the fragmented opposition, made his strongest name but for the protests to broaden right into a revolt to topple the clerical rulers.

In a video posted on X, US-based Mr Pahlavi, 65, whose father was toppled as Iran’s shah within the 1979 revolution, mentioned the Islamic Republic can be introduced “to its knees”.

Iran’s rulers have weathered repeated bouts of unrest, together with pupil protests in 1999, battle over a disputed election in 2009, in opposition to financial hardships in 2019, and in 2022 over the loss of life in custody of a girl accused of violating gown codes.

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Also on Saturday, demonstrations in solidarity with the protesters befell internationally, together with in London, the place a protester climbed onto the balcony of the Iranian embassy.

Foreign secretary Yvette Cooper mentioned these talking out in opposition to the Iranian authorities shouldn’t face “the threat of violence or reprisals”. She mentioned: “It takes real courage to speak up in an authoritarian system, especially for young women, but it should not require courage just to make your voice heard.

“These are fundamental rights: free speech; peaceful assembly; and the exercise of those rights should never come with the threat of violence or reprisals. That is why the UK, France and Germany made the statement we did, and we urge the Iranian authorities to listen.”