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The former president has warned of involvement in the Islamic Republic should its regime use lethal force against protesters, leading to cautionary statements from high-ranking figures in Tehran that any US intervention would overstep a definitive limit.

A Public Declaration Ignites Tensions

Via a online statement on Friday, the former president declared that if the country were to fire upon demonstrators, the United States would “come to their rescue”. He noted, “we are locked and loaded, and ready to go,” without clarifying what that could entail in actual terms.

Demonstrations Continue into the Sixth Day Against a Backdrop of Financial Crisis

Public unrest are now in their second week, constituting the biggest in several years. The present demonstrations were triggered by an unprecedented decline in the national currency on Sunday, with its worth plummeting to about a historic low, worsening an already beleaguered economy.

Several citizens have been confirmed dead, including a member of the state-affiliated group. Recordings have shown officials armed with shotguns, with the sound of shooting heard in the recordings.

Tehran's Authorities Deliver Stark Warnings

Addressing the intervention warning, Ali Shamkhani, counselor for the supreme leader, warned that Iran’s national security were a “definitive boundary, not a subject for online provocations”.

“Any external involvement nearing the country's stability on any excuse will be cut off with a regret-inducing response,” the official said.

A separate high-ranking figure, a key security official, claimed the foreign powers of having a hand in the unrest, a common refrain by the government when addressing domestic dissent.

“The US should understand that US intervention in this domestic matter will lead to destabilisation of the entire area and the destruction of American interests,” the official wrote. “The public must know that the former president is the one that initiated this provocation, and they should consider the safety of their troops.”

Background of Conflict and Demonstration Nature

Iran has vowed to strike foreign forces stationed in the region in the past, and in recent months it launched strikes on a facility in Qatar following the American attacks on related infrastructure.

The current protests have occurred in Tehran but have also extended to other cities, such as Isfahan. Business owners have shuttered businesses in solidarity, and students have gathered on campuses. While the currency crisis are the central grievance, demonstrators have also voiced anti-government slogans and criticized what they said was failures by officials.

Government Response Changes

The head of state, Masoud Pezeshkian, first called for protest leaders, taking a softer stance than the government did during the 2022 protests, which were violently suppressed. Pezeshkian said that he had directed the government to listen to the protesters’ “legitimate demands”.

The recent deaths of protesters, however, could signal that officials are becoming more forceful as they address the unrest as they persist. A communiqué from the state security apparatus on Monday cautioned that it would take a harsh line against any external involvement or “sedition” in the country.

While Iranian authorities deal with domestic dissent, it has attempted to refute accusations from the United States that it is rebuilding its nuclear activities. Tehran has claimed that it is halted enrichment activities at present and has indicated it is ready for negotiations with the international community.