Washington/Tehran: Anti-government protests in Iran have escalated into violent chaos. In a provocative move, US President Donald Trump canceled talks with Iranian representatives and poured fuel on the fire by encouraging demonstrators. Trump boosted protesters’ morale, telling them to seize their country’s institutions because American aid is on the way.
Iran is witnessing its largest-scale violence in decades. As of Tuesday, the nationwide protests have claimed at least 2,000 lives. Iranian authorities imposed communication blackouts, but people still called abroad to report the horrific conditions. Reports indicate Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei ordered the military to fire directly on protesters.
President Trump warned Iran to stop crushing its people, or face dire consequences. Experts believe the US could launch a major military strike on Iran at any moment.
Notably, the US previously infiltrated Venezuela and abducted its president. Last June, during the Israel-Iran war, America targeted Iran’s nuclear sites. This raises the strong possibility of a new US operation in Iran.
Trump isn’t just talking tough—he’s hitting Iran economically too. He imposed 25% additional tariffs on countries trading with Iran, including global powers:
China
Russia
Turkey
UAE
Brazil
Iran has long irked the US with its nuclear program and missile tests. Iran-backed extremist groups also remain active against America. Trump now sees these internal protests as a prime chance to teach the Iranian regime a lesson.