Tehran is threatening to attack U.S. military bases amid widespread protests across Iran as the US is showing support for the Iranian people as they rise up against the Iranian leadership.
Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned that if the U.S. attacks, U.S. military bases in the Middle East and shipping centres in the region would become legitimate targets.
Iran’s response came as U.S. President Donald Trump issued a strong warning to Iran on Friday.
“I’ve made the statement very strongly that if they start killing people like they have in the past, we will get involved,” Trump said. “We’ll be hitting them very hard where it hurts.”
Trump added that it does not necessarily mean having boots on the ground, hinting at a possible operation similar to the one in June when the U.S. bombed critical Iranian nuclear sites.
Iran cut off its people from the outside world by shutting down the Internet on Thursday night. Violence reportedly increased after that.
A video released on Sunday shows body bags lining the streets.
It is unclear exactly how many people have died since the protests began, as different sources report different numbers.
According to the Centre for Human Rights in Iran, there have been hundreds of casualties since the Internet blackout. The Jerusalem Post said 2,000 people died during this weekend alone, and according to IntelliNews, up to 4,000 people died.
“Iran’s in big trouble,” Trump said. “It looks to me that the people are taking over certain cities that nobody thought were really possible just a few weeks ago.”
Protests are not only taking place in Iran, they are spreading across the globe to London, Paris and Washington D.C. in front of the White House.
Protesters in Washington D.C. say they are against the current leadership and neither do they want to return to the dynasty of the previous leader under Shah Muhammad Reisa Pallavi.
Alireza Jafarzadeh, National Council of Resistance of Iran said, “Down with the oppressor, be the Shah or the supreme leader. They’re not settling for theocracy. They’re not going back to a dictatorship which they once overthrew.”
A protester in Germany says he wants Europe to do more and take his stronger stance against the regime.
“We need a strong position in Europe,” Mohsen, a protester in Germany said. “It’s a shame it’s not enough now because people are dying.”
