Iran's foreign minister has called Donald Trump's promise of intervention 'reckless and dangerous', after the US President warned Iran's authorities against killing peaceful protesters, saying Washington 'will come to their rescue'.
In a brief post on social media, Trump wrote: 'We are locked and loaded and ready to go,' but gave no further details.
In a statement on X, Iran's Foreign Affairs Minister, Abbas Araghchi, wrote, 'Given President Trump's deployment of the National Guard within US borders, he of all people should know that criminal attacks on public property cannot be tolerated.'
Iran would 'forcefully reject any interference in their internal affairs', he added.
Meanwhile, an Iranian police spokesman said officers would not allow what he called 'enemies' to turn 'unrest into chaos'.
At least eight people are reported to have died during the week-long protests, as of Saturday morning in Tehran.
Protests have spread to a number of cities and towns with running battles reported between security forces and demonstrators. The protests started in Tehran among shopkeepers angry over a sharp drop in the value of the Iranian currency.
By Tuesday, university students were involved, and demonstrations escalated. The unrest is reminiscent of previous uprisings, although not as extensive. Iran's President has pledged to address the protesters' legitimate demands.
In contrast, the country's Prosecutor-General issued a warning against attempts to destabilize the nation. Iran's UN Ambassador has also criticized Trump's comments, urging the Security Council to condemn his statements.
