‘Iran’s in big trouble,’ Trump warns amid signs of collapse

Iran is facing its most widespread unrest in over a decade, as U.S. President Donald Trump said the country was “in big trouble” and accused its leaders of losing control of key cities. Trump also reiterated his warning that if protesters were killed, the U.S. would respond with force.

Trump’s warnings followed days of mass demonstrations sparked by inflation and economic collapse, with videos showing government buildings set on fire and crowds chanting anti-regime slogans, according to The Telegraph, which reported that the protests have extended to major cities including Tehran, Mashhad, Tabriz and Qom.

Iranian authorities have enforced a nationwide internet shutdown and reportedly killed at least 51 protesters, including nine children, as part of a crackdown on dissent, France 24 reported.

Activists and NGOs say hundreds more have been injured and detained.

In a televised statement, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called the demonstrators “vandals” and “saboteurs.” He said the Islamic Republic would not back down and accused the U.S. of inciting unrest. He also referred to Trump as “arrogant” and claimed his hands were “stained with the blood of more than a thousand Iranians.”

The protests began on Dec. 28 with a strike at Tehran’s Grand Bazaar and spread rapidly as inflation surged to 40%. Demonstrators across Iran have chanted slogans such as “death to the dictator” and “death to the Islamic Republic.” Crowds were seen pulling down statues of Qasem Soleimani, the slain commander of Iran’s overseas military operations, and attacking government buildings.

Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of the last shah of Iran, has emerged as a central opposition figure. He called for massive street demonstrations and urged Trump to support the protesters, stating that “the regime’s repressive power becomes weaker” as crowds grow. One chant reportedly included “This is the last battle, Pahlavi will return,” The U.K. Times reported. 

During a Fox News interview, Trump said that Khamenei “is looking to go someplace,” referencing western intelligence reports that claim the leader might be preparing an escape route. The reports suggest Khamenei and his inner circle are assembling assets abroad to facilitate departure.

White House officials dismissed Iran’s accusation of U.S. involvement as “delusional,” asserting that the Islamic Republic is attempting to deflect attention from internal instability. Secretary of State Marco Rubio voiced support for the protesters, posting on X that the U.S. stands with “the brave people of Iran.”

The regime appears divided on how to respond. Judiciary chief Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei has promised “decisive, maximum” punishment for participants, while President Masoud Pezeshkian has urged a “kind and responsible” approach. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused both the U.S. and Israel of trying to turn peaceful protests violent.

Protesters used Elon Musk’s Starlink system and other technologies to bypass censorship and post videos showing large crowds, burning vehicles, and attacks on regime offices. In Tehran’s Sadatabad district, residents banged pots and shouted anti-government slogans from balconies.

Human rights groups say security forces have fired pellet guns into crowds. Exiled Nobel Peace laureate Shirin Ebadi warned of a potential massacre, reporting that hospitals in Tehran had received hundreds with severe eye injuries.

Videos from different provinces showed protesters storming the state TV office in Isfahan, setting fire to a governor’s building in Shazand, and damaging cash machines and storefronts as the internet blackout disrupted daily services. Some shouted slogans supporting the shah and denouncing the current leadership.

Iran’s main security agency, part of the powerful Revolutionary Guard, has reportedly warned that any serious threat to the Islamic government’s survival would cross a “red line” and trigger a forceful response. But some observers noticed that the Basij militia, often used by the regime to crush protests with force, was missing from the early days of unrest.

People who witnessed the protests said the government initially held back more than in previous crackdowns. Some officials, including a local prosecutor and members of the security forces, were confirmed killed. In the southeastern city of Zahedan, police opened fire on protesters after Friday prayers, though it is unclear how many were injured or killed.

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch accused Iranian security forces of unlawful violence, stating that they used rifles, metal-pellet shotguns, tear gas and batons against peaceful demonstrators.

Khamenei, 86, has not left Iran in 37 years and survived both torture and an assassination attempt, but his health and grip on power have come under scrutiny. Despite reports of his possible departure, he stated publicly that he would not flee and vowed to resist foreign influence.

As unrest spreads to most of Iran’s 31 provinces, economic frustration remains high. Government proposals to provide a monthly $7 stipend have been widely dismissed as inadequate.