16 hours ago
Last Updated:January 10, 2026, 10:48 IST
US President Donald Trump said any American response would not involve deploying ground forces but would target pressure points.
Supreme Leader of Iran Ali Khamenei and US President Donald Trump (Image: AFP)
US President Donald Trump on Friday said Washington is closely monitoring the unfolding protests in Iran and issued a warning to Tehran against using lethal force on demonstrators, saying the United States would respond if protesters were harmed.
Trump made the remarks while taking questions from reporters during a meeting with senior oil and gas executives at the White House. He said he hoped protesters in Iran would remain safe but cautioned that past actions by Iranian authorities had raised serious concerns.
“Iran is in big trouble," Trump said, claiming that demonstrators had taken control of areas previously considered out of reach. “We’re watching very closely, and I’ve said very strongly that if they start killing people like they have in the past, we will get involved."
The US President said any American response would not involve deploying ground forces but would target pressure points. “That doesn’t mean boots on the ground," he said. “It means hitting them very hard where it hurts. We don’t want that to happen."
Describing the protests as unprecedented, Trump said years of repression had pushed people to the streets. “It’s an incredible thing to watch. They’ve treated their people very badly, and now there’s a reaction. Let’s see what happens, but we are watching it very closely," he added.
Trump also directly warned Iran’s leadership against a violent crackdown. “I just hope the protesters are safe because it’s a very dangerous situation right now," he said.
“And again, I tell the Iranian leaders: you better not start shooting, because we’ll start shooting too."
According to the US-based policy research group Institute for the Study of War, protest activity in Iran has surged significantly since January 7, both in frequency and scale, including in Tehran and parts of northwestern Iran.
The think tank said authorities have stepped up their response, including the unusual deployment of Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps ground forces in at least one province.
Earlier this week, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accused the United States of orchestrating the unrest.
Speaking at a public event on January 9, Khamenei alleged that some protesters were acting to curry favour with the American president.
Iranian state media quoted Khamenei as saying that acts of vandalism were carried out “to please the President of America," dismissing Trump’s statements as “irrelevant nonsense" and accusing him of encouraging unrest while failing to manage problems at home.
Khamenei also criticised Trump personally, calling him “arrogant" and warning that history shows “despotic leaders fall at the height of their power".
First Published:
January 10, 2026, 08:17 IST
News world 'Will Get Involved If...': Trump Warns Iran Against Using Deadly Force On Protesters
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