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Ex-President Trump has stated he would step in in the Islamic Republic should its authorities kill protesters, resulting in cautionary statements from Iran's leadership that any involvement from Washington would violate a critical boundary.

A Public Declaration Fuels Diplomatic Strain

In a social media post on Friday, Trump said that if Iran were to shoot and kill demonstrators, the America would “step in to help”. He added, “our response is imminent,” without detailing what that might mean in actual terms.

Unrest Continue into the Next Phase Amid Economic Turmoil

Protests in Iran are now in their second week, constituting the most significant in several years. The present demonstrations were catalyzed by an unprecedented decline in the Iranian rial on Sunday, with its value dropping to about a historic low, further exacerbating an already beleaguered economy.

Seven people have been lost their lives, among them a volunteer for the state-affiliated group. Footage circulate showing officials carrying firearms, with the sound of shooting heard in the video.

Iranian Leaders Deliver Firm Responses

Addressing the intervention warning, an official, adviser to the country's highest authority, cautioned that internal matters were a “definitive boundary, not material for online provocations”.

“Any external involvement targeting Iran security on pretexts will be met with a swift consequence,” the official wrote.

Another leader, a key security official, claimed the outside actors of being involved in the protests, a common refrain by the government when addressing domestic dissent.

“Washington needs to know that American involvement in this internal issue will lead to instability across the Middle East and the harm to American interests,” Larijani declared. “The public must know that the former president is the one that initiated this provocation, and they should pay attention to the security of their soldiers.”

Recent History of Tensions and Demonstration Scale

Tehran has vowed to strike US troops deployed in the region in the before, and in June it launched strikes on Al-Udeid airbase in Qatar after the US struck its nuclear facilities.

The current protests have been centered in the capital but have also extended to other urban centers, such as Isfahan. Shopkeepers have shuttered businesses in solidarity, and youth have taken over campuses. While the currency crisis are the central grievance, demonstrators have also voiced anti-government slogans and decried what they said was graft and poor governance.

Presidential Approach Evolves

The nation's leader, Masoud Pezeshkian, initially invited representatives, adopting a softer stance than authorities did during the earlier demonstrations, which were put down harshly. Pezeshkian stated that he had directed the government to listen to the demonstrators' core grievances.

The loss of life of protesters, though, suggest that authorities are taking a harder line as they address the unrest as they continue. A statement from the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps on recently cautioned that it would take a harsh line against any outside meddling or “sedition” in the country.

As Tehran face domestic dissent, it has tried to stave off allegations from the United States that it is reconstituting its nuclear programme. Tehran has stated that it is halted enrichment activities domestically and has indicated it is open for talks with the international community.