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Donald Trump has threatened to intervene in Iran if its regime kill protesters, prompting cautionary statements from senior Iranian officials that any involvement from Washington would overstep a definitive limit.

A Public Declaration Ignites Tensions

In a online statement on Friday, Trump stated that if Iran were to fire upon protesters, the America would “step in to help”. He added, “our response is imminent,” without clarifying what that might mean in actual terms.

Protests Continue into the New Week Amid Economic Strain

Public unrest are now in their second week, constituting the largest in several years. The current unrest were triggered by an sharp drop in the Iranian rial on recently, with its value falling to about 1.4m to the US dollar, intensifying an existing financial crisis.

Multiple individuals have been reported killed, among them a member of the state-affiliated group. Footage have shown officials carrying shotguns, with the sound of shooting audible in the video.

Tehran's Authorities Issue Stark Responses

Addressing the statement, Ali Shamkhani, adviser to the supreme leader, cautioned that Iran’s national security were a “non-negotiable limit, not a subject for adventurist tweets”.

“Any intervening hand nearing our national security on any excuse will be met with a forceful retaliation,” Shamkhani wrote.

Another leader, the secretary of Iran’s supreme national security council, accused the US and Israel of being involved in the protests, a common refrain by the government when addressing protests.

“Trump must realize that US intervention in this national affair will lead to destabilisation of the whole region and the damage to American interests,” Larijani stated. “The American people must know that Trump is the one that initiated this provocation, and they should consider the well-being of their soldiers.”

Background of Conflict and Protest Scope

Tehran has threatened to target American soldiers based in the Middle East in the past, and in June it attacked Al-Udeid airbase in Qatar following the US struck its nuclear facilities.

The ongoing demonstrations have been centered in Tehran but have also reached other cities, such as Isfahan. Business owners have shuttered businesses in protest, and students have taken over campuses. While economic conditions are the central grievance, demonstrators have also chanted anti-government slogans and decried what they said was corruption and mismanagement.

Government Stance Changes

The nation's leader, the president, offered talks with protest leaders, taking a more conciliatory tone than authorities did during the earlier demonstrations, which were met with force. He stated that he had ordered the government to listen to the demonstrators' core grievances.

The recent deaths of protesters, however, could signal that authorities are becoming more forceful as they address the protests as they continue. A announcement from the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps on Monday warned that it would act decisively against any external involvement or “sedition” in the country.

While the government face internal challenges, it has tried to stave off accusations from the US that it is reconstituting its nuclear activities. Iran has claimed that it is ceased such work domestically and has signaled it is open for talks with the international community.