The US president claimed Washington is “locked and loaded” to support anti-government protesters in Iran
The Iranian government has formally demanded action from the United Nations following a series of increasingly bellicose statements from US President Donald Trump, including a claim that Washington is “locked and loaded” to intervene in the ongoing unrest within Iran.
In a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday, Iranian Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani accused Trump of “incitement to violence, unrest, and terrorist acts” within Iran.
“The President of the United States openly threatened the Islamic Republic of Iran with the use of force and intervention, declaring that ‘We are locked and loaded and ready to go,’” he wrote.
“These repeated and deliberate statements demonstrate a consistent pattern of unlawful conduct by the United States,” the letter reads, further detailing a long history of alleged US interference in Iranian affairs, including the 1953 coup, support for Saddam Hussein during the Iran-Iraq War, the downing of Iran Air Flight 655, and the assassination of Qassem Soleimani six years ago.
Large-scale protests erupted in Iran in late December, initially sparked by economic hardship including a record low value of the national currency. Demonstrations have spread and become increasingly violent, with attacks on government buildings and clashes with security forces. Several casualties have also been reported among both the protesters and the security forces.
Trump claimed in a post on Truth Social on Friday that if Iran “shoots and violently kills peaceful protesters,” the US would “come to their rescue.” This prompted a warning from Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Ghalibaf, who stated on X that US forces in the Middle East would be considered “legitimate targets” should Washington intervene.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has acknowledged the right of citizens to peaceful demonstration, but emphasized that acts of violence during the protests, as well as foreign interference, will not be tolerated.
“The Great People of Iran will forcefully reject any interference in their internal affairs,” Araghchi wrote on X. “Similarly, our Powerful Armed Forces are on standby and know exactly where to aim in the event of any infringement of Iranian sovereignty.”
The Iranian ambassador’s letter to the UN calls on the Security Council to “unequivocally and strongly condemn these reckless and provocative statements” and demands the US comply with international law, ceasing “all threats or uses of force.”
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