‘Locked and loaded’:Trump warns Iran

By Sarah Roderick-Fitch
The Center Square

Following days of civil unrest in Iran, President Donald Trump issued a warning to the Iranian regime that the U.S. is prepared to take action if civilians are shot.

Trump posted the warning overnight Friday, indicating he may be throwing support behind the uprising in the Islamic Republic sparked by economic decline.

“If Iran shoots and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United State of America will come to their rescue. We are locked and loaded and ready to go,” the president posted to his Truth Social Account.

The warning came on the heels of the president hosting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, when the two leaders reportedly discussed the potential of future strikes on Iran if the Islamic Republic attempts to rebuild its nuclear capabilities, following U.S. strikes in June that targeted the country’s nuclear sites.

“I hear Iran is looking to rebuild its facilities again, and if they do we will have to knock them down again,” the president told reporters during a press conference Monday. “We’re going to have no choice but very quickly to eradicate that build up. So I hope Iran is not trying to build up, as I’ve been reading.”

Ali Larijani, the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council for Iran, snapped back at Trump’s post, signaling possible retaliation if the U.S. decides to get involved.

“With the stances taken by Israeli officials and Trump, the behind-the-scenes of the matter has become clear. We consider the positions of the protesting merchants separate from those of the destructive elements, and Trump should know what American interference in this internal issue is equivalent to chaos acrost the entire region and the destruction of American interests,” Larijani posted on X. “The American people should know that it was Trump who started the adventurism. They should look after their soldiers.”

The civil uprising in Iran follows a pattern of Iranian citizens protesting the brutal regime’s grip on its citizens. The most recent unrest occurred in 2019, with one of the most significant events taking place in 2009, known as the Green Movement, which resulted in millions of Iranian citizens demonstrating against the government.