US President Donald Trump has delivered a sharp warning to Iran’s leadership, saying the United States would respondvery stronglyif Iranian authorities use lethal force against demonstrators amid widespread unrest. “I have made it clear that if they start killing people… we are going to hit them very hard,” Trump said in a radio interview, emphasizing Washington’s opposition to any violent crackdown.

Mass protests have erupted across Iran as citizens in Tehran and other cities take to the streets to express anger over a faltering economy and surging inflation. Shortly after the demonstrations began, internet and phone services were reportedly cut in an apparent effort to disrupt communications.

Economic hardship has been a central grievance, and in some areas protesters have also chanted support for exiled opposition figures, including Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran’s last monarch. The unrest, which began recently, has spread from urban centers into towns nationwide, with strikes and market closures in solidarity with demonstrators.

According to human rights groups, dozens of people have been killed and thousands detained as the protests intensify, putting increasing pressure on Iran’s leadership, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

In a statement, Pahlavi urged the Islamic Republic and its security forces not to suppress the movement, warning that global attention and consequences would follow if demonstrators were harmed.