Iran has vowed to target US troops and Israel if America strikes in response to nationwide protests challenging the country's theocratic government, which have already claimed at least 116 lives.
The protests, now in their 15th day, have spread across Tehran and the second-largest city of Mashhad, with demonstrators flooding the streets despite an internet blackout and phone line cuts. The death toll has continued to rise, with 2,600 others detained, according to human rights activists.
Iran's parliament speaker, a hard-liner, warned that any US military action would be met with "legitimate targets", directly referencing Israel and the US military. The threat was made as lawmakers shouted "Death to America!" in the Iranian parliament.
The situation is growing increasingly volatile, with warnings from President Donald Trump that he will strike Iran if necessary to protect peaceful demonstrators. However, his administration has yet to take decisive action.
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei would ultimately decide whether to launch a strike, but the country's air defenses were severely damaged during the recent 12-day war with Israel, which may limit their ability to retaliate.
The US military has stated that it is "postured" and ready to defend its forces, partners, and allies in the region. Meanwhile, Iranian state television broadcast live footage of parliament sessions, with lawmakers praising police and the Revolutionary Guard for cracking down on protesters.
Demonstrations are planned for Sunday, with some protesters carrying national symbols from Iran's pre-revolutionary era. The protests began over economic issues but have grown into calls directly challenging the country's theocratic government.
As tensions escalate, international attention is focused on how the US will respond to the situation, and whether President Trump's words will translate into action.
The protests, now in their 15th day, have spread across Tehran and the second-largest city of Mashhad, with demonstrators flooding the streets despite an internet blackout and phone line cuts. The death toll has continued to rise, with 2,600 others detained, according to human rights activists.
Iran's parliament speaker, a hard-liner, warned that any US military action would be met with "legitimate targets", directly referencing Israel and the US military. The threat was made as lawmakers shouted "Death to America!" in the Iranian parliament.
The situation is growing increasingly volatile, with warnings from President Donald Trump that he will strike Iran if necessary to protect peaceful demonstrators. However, his administration has yet to take decisive action.
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei would ultimately decide whether to launch a strike, but the country's air defenses were severely damaged during the recent 12-day war with Israel, which may limit their ability to retaliate.
The US military has stated that it is "postured" and ready to defend its forces, partners, and allies in the region. Meanwhile, Iranian state television broadcast live footage of parliament sessions, with lawmakers praising police and the Revolutionary Guard for cracking down on protesters.
Demonstrations are planned for Sunday, with some protesters carrying national symbols from Iran's pre-revolutionary era. The protests began over economic issues but have grown into calls directly challenging the country's theocratic government.
As tensions escalate, international attention is focused on how the US will respond to the situation, and whether President Trump's words will translate into action.
the protests are getting more intense by the day and I'm literally glued to my screen watching it all unfold 
116 lives lost already and it's only been 15 days?! that's insane 
I know people are talking about the US military response, but I think we should be focusing on getting those protesters some help ASAP 
they're fighting for their rights and freedoms and it's heartbreaking to see them being treated like this 
what if President Trump does take action? will Iran retaliate? so many questions 
can't wait to see how this all plays out 
i hope trump doesn't make good on his threat, it could lead to a huge war in the middle east. 
meanwhile, i feel bad for those protesters, they just want better economic opportunities but are getting caught up in all this government drama... 
and on a more serious note, if iran does launch a strike, i hope it doesn't target innocent civilians. we need to be careful about our response too... 
"The world is a dangerous place, to live in. But it's dumber still when you take it away from sense." 
does anyone think this is gonna escalate into a full-on war or will the US just sit back and watch as Iran continues to crack down on protesters? 
Iran is literally pushing it now with all these threats 
and death to america chants in parliament 
what if they actually follow through? we cant let that happen to us, like, we gotta support our troops and keep them safe 
the situation in Iran is so volatile right now 
i hope trump knows what he's doing because if he doesnt take action soon, it could get super ugly 
i mean, 2,600 people are detained already 
and we gotta stand with them 
can't we just find a peaceful way 2 resolve issues? 
I feel so helpless as a parent watching this unfold on my newsfeed. 116 deaths, that's just heartbreaking. And now with the threat of retaliation against Israel and US troops... it's like a ticking time bomb 
. But at the same time, I'm also worried about the implications of such actions on global politics and our children's future 
. 
. One side is saying "peaceful protesters" while the other is saying "threatening to strike"... it's hard to know what's going on anymore 
.
. And the fact that Iran's air defenses are damaged from the last war with Israel just adds another layer of complexity 
. But honestly? I'm not sure what the solution is 
I'm all for speaking out against injustice, but this feels like it's spiraling out of control...
. And with Iran's air defenses damaged from the Israel thing... that's like adding fuel to the fire 
, but what about the civilians caught in the middle?