Former US President Donald Trump has issued a series of statements, primarily on social media, threatening US intervention to 'rescue' protesters in Iran if the government violently suppresses demonstrations. These threats, made in late December 2025 and early January 2026, asserted that the US was 'locked and loaded and ready to go' to assist Iranian citizens. These warnings from Trump came amidst a new wave of widespread protests across Iran, which began around December 28, 2025. Initially sparked by severe economic grievances and the collapsing value of the Iranian rial, the demonstrations quickly evolved into broader anti-government movements challenging the Islamic Republic's leadership. Iran's response to Trump's statements has been swift, unified, and defiant. High-ranking Iranian officials, including the foreign minister and advisers to the Supreme Leader, immediately condemned the threats, labeling them as 'reckless and dangerous' and warning of 'regret-inducing' consequences for any American interference. Tehran's chief prosecutor, Ali Salehi, dismissed Trump's remarks as 'nonsense' and vowed firm action against detained protesters. Furthermore, Iran formally informed the United Nations Security Council that Trump's pronouncements constituted a 'flagrant violation' of international law principles concerning the non-use of force and non-intervention in internal affairs. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei also directly addressed Trump's stance, branding the former US President a 'criminal' for his support of the protesters and accusing him of orchestrating unrest and causing casualties. The Iranian government has continued a crackdown on the protests, with reports indicating thousands of casualties and detentions. The Tehran Times, an English-language newspaper affiliated with the Iranian state, presented the Iranian rebuttal as a strong, unified response ranging from official condemnation to perceived public ridicule, reflecting the government's narrative.