Iranian Parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf threatened to launch missile strikes on US bases in the Middle East if Washington tries to intervene in Iran’s handling of the ongoing mass protests. His comments came after the US president on Friday claimed that US forces were “locked and loaded” and could go in at any moment.
Massive protests started in the Islamic Republic in late December when Iranian businessmen went on strike after the national currency, the rial, hit a record low. The protests quickly spread to other cities and turned political and violent.
Qalibaf responded to Trump’s threats, saying, “The disrespectful president of America should … know that … all American bases and forces across the entire region will be legitimate targets for us in response to any potential adventurism.”
The ongoing protests are the worst since the 2022 turmoil, which was ignited by the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old accused of improper hijab. It triggered massive violent unrest in the country, resulting in the deaths of more than 200 people while leaving thousands more injured.
Social media videos show crowds attacking government buildings, offices, and facilities linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
The US president warned that Washington could intervene if Iran “shoots and violently kills peaceful protesters.”
Iranian officials have accused Israel of fuelling the ongoing violent protests in the country and said that Tehran is capable of discerning between protesters and “foreign mercenaries” and would never mistreat its people, the parliament speaker said.
Meanwhile, Israel, which is a bitter rival of the Islamic Republic, has openly endorsed the unrest, calling for regime change in the country. Its intelligence agency, Mossad, also claimed that its agents are on the ground.
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