Tehran [Iran], January 11 (ANI): Iran’s parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, warned that Tehran would consider US military and commercial bases as “legitimate targets” for retaliation if Washington intervenes militarily amid continuing unrest in the country.
“If the US takes military action towards Iran or the occupied territories, the US military and shipping centers will be considered legitimate targets,” Qalibaf said. “We do not limit ourselves to only reacting after an action has been taken,” he added.
Qalibaf’s remarks came after US President Donald Trump reiterated his threat to attack Iran if authorities used force to suppress a growing wave of nationwide protests triggered by public frustration against the government. Trump said on Friday that the situation in Iran was being monitored closely and expressed hope that protesters remain safe, warning that if protesters were killed, the US would intervene and strike the country where it hurts.
Trump made the remarks while responding to media questions during a meeting with top oil and gas executives at the White House. He described the developments as “pretty incredible” and said the authorities had “treated their people very badly,” adding that the protests were “an amazing thing to watch.” He also warned Iranian leaders against shooting protesters, stating, “We’ll start shooting too” if they do.
As the protests intensified, policy research organization Institute for the Study of War reported that protest activity in Iran expanded dramatically in both rate and magnitude since January 7, including in major cities like Tehran and in northwestern Iran. The think tank said the regime had also intensified its crackdown, including by deploying the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Ground Forces in at least one province.
Against this backdrop, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accused the US administration of being behind the large-scale protests, claiming that some protesters were acting to please the US President. Khamenei condemned foreign interference and described Trump as arrogant, warning that despots are deposed at the peak of their pride.
Protests have spread across Iran since late December, with increasing calls for ending the clerical system established after the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Human rights groups urged restraint amid reports of deaths and mass arrests. Iran Human Rights reported that at least 51 protesters, including nine children, had been killed by security forces, with hundreds more injured. Tasnim news agency reported that at least 200 “riot” leaders were arrested. Amnesty International criticized a “blanket internet shutdown” aimed at hiding the extent of human rights violations.
Iranian Attorney General Mohammad Movahedi Azad warned that anyone joining the protests would be considered an “enemy of God,” a charge that carries the death penalty. The IRGC also warned that safeguarding the achievements of the 1979 revolution and national security was a “red line.”
Reza Pahlavi, the US-based son of Iran’s deposed Shah, called for targeted protests to seize and hold city centers, urging citizens to prepare for more organized demonstrations.
Iranian authorities continued to describe demonstrators as disruptive, with Khamenei calling them “vandals.” In a broadcast speech, he accused Trump of being responsible for the deaths of more than a thousand Iranians and asserted that the Islamic Republic would not yield to saboteurs.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused the US and Israel of “directly intervening” to turn peaceful protests into violent unrest, claims the US State Department called “delusional.”
The demonstrations are the largest in Iran since the 2022–2023 protest movement triggered by the death of Mahsa Amini in custody. While sporadic at first, protests have expanded in recent days, particularly in Tehran. Observers noted that public dissatisfaction remains high, driven not only by protests but also by daily economic hardships. The government has attempted to manage the situation through increased security measures and a monthly subsidy of about USD 7 for low-income citizens.
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