This is what the head of an independent Iranian news publication says President Trump’s warnings officials in the Middle Eastern country are alerting and encouraging protesters as the biggest demonstrations in years sweep the country.
Iran’s justice chief has warned that protesters face the “maximum penalty,” and the country’s attorney general said anyone taking part in protests would be considered an “enemy of God,” which carries the death penalty, according to the Associated Press.
Mr Trump has said the United States will respond if protesters are killed. He repeated his warning On Friday he called on the Iranian leadership not to attack the demonstrators. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said online early Saturday that “the United States supports the brave people of Iran.” On Saturday afternoon, Mr. Trump wrote on Truth Social that “Iran is looking toward FREEDOM, perhaps like never before. The US is ready to help!!!”
“I’m sure this really frightened many Iranian officials and may have affected their approach to confronting the protesters, but at the same time it also inspired many protesters to come forward because they know that the leader of the world’s largest superpower supports their cause,” said Maziar Bahari, editor of the independent news site Iranwire.
UGC via AP 
The Demonstrations began in Tehran two weeks ago in response to Iran’s currency collapse and faltering economy. Holly Dagres, a non-resident senior fellow at the Washington Institute and curator of the Iranist newsletter, said the protests were sparked by the same core issues of “systemic mismanagement, corruption or oppression” that led to the uprisings following the death of Mahsa Aminiwho was killed by the Iranian moral police in 2022.
They have been doing it ever since grown throughout the countryThousands filled the streets. Human rights groups said at least 65 people were killed and at least two hospitals in Tehran reported being overwhelmed with patients.
State media in Iran called the protesters terrorists, while Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei gave a public speech On Friday, he accused Iranians of ruining their own roads to please the President of the United States. officer cutting off the country’s internet on Thursday, effectively sealing Iran off from the outside world.
Dagris said internet access was cut off “because the Islamic Republic did not want the international community and their Iranian compatriots to see what was happening.”
“I think there is a real concern that with the internet shutdown, the international community is not paying attention and events on the ground are getting worse,” said Dagres, who grew up in Iran.
She said she wasn’t sure whether Mr. Trump’s warnings would deter a crackdown.
“Unfortunately, this is a regime that has been in power for 47 years and has not changed its behavior, even because the president of the United States made a threat,” Dagres said. “And that’s what we’re already hearing and seeing in what’s going on… This is an Islamic Republic that’s cornered and lashing out. And unfortunately, that’s exactly what they do best: brutal action.”
Bahari said that “many people have called what is happening in Iran a revolution,” but noted that there is no opposition leader to rally around.
Reza Pahlavi, the son of the former shah who was overthrown in January 1979, encouraged protesters on social media and said he was preparing to return to the country. However, it is unclear how much support he actually has in Iran.
