Washington / Tehran, January 10, 2026 – U.S. President Donald Trump declared Iran is “in big trouble” on Friday as anti-government protests over the country's severe economic crisis entered their 13th day, with widespread demonstrations, clashes, and a near-total internet blackout imposed by authorities.
Speaking to reporters at the White House during a meeting with oil executives, Trump described the unrest as an “amazing thing to watch,” noting that “the people are taking over certain cities that nobody thought were really possible just a few weeks ago.” He emphasized: “We’re watching the situation very carefully.”
Reiterating earlier threats, Trump warned that if Iranian security forces “start killing people like they have in the past,” the United States would “get involved” and “hit them very hard where it hurts.” He clarified that any U.S. response would not involve “boots on the ground,” but would focus on severe measures. In a separate comment, he added: “You better not start shooting because we’ll start shooting too.”
The protests erupted on December 28, 2025, initially sparked by the collapse of the Iranian rial, which plunged to record lows against the U.S. dollar (reaching around 1.42–1.7 million rials per dollar in early January), driving inflation above 40–48% and causing sharp increases in food and essential goods prices. Demonstrations began in Tehran's Grand Bazaar with merchant strikes and quickly spread nationwide, evolving into calls for regime change, the end of the Islamic Republic, and in some cases, support for exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi.
Protests have occurred in more than 100 cities and towns, including Tehran, Kermanshah, Esfahan, Shiraz, Mashhad, Abdanan, Bushehr, and Ilam. Demonstrators have set fires to government buildings, banks, and regime symbols, blocked roads, clashed with security forces, and chanted anti-government slogans. In some areas, protesters reportedly overpowered security personnel or seized weapons.
On January 8, Iranian authorities imposed a nationwide internet blackout, confirmed by the internet monitoring group NetBlocks, which reported connectivity dropping to approximately 1% of normal levels starting around 8:30 p.m. local time. NetBlocks described the shutdown as part of “a series of escalating digital censorship measures” to disrupt protest coordination, limit information flow, and obscure the scale of repression. The blackout, which has persisted for over 36 hours as of January 10, has severely restricted communication, video sharing, and access to external news.
Human rights organizations have reported significant casualties amid the crackdown. The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) documented at least 62 deaths (including protesters and some security personnel), with earlier tallies ranging from 42 to 51 killed (including children) and more than 2,300 arrests. Norway-based Iran Human Rights reported at least 51 protester deaths, including nine minors, and hundreds injured. Security forces have been accused of using live ammunition, tear gas, and raids on hospitals to detain wounded individuals.
Iranian officials have downplayed the scale of the protests, blaming “vandals,” “saboteurs,” and foreign interference, particularly from the U.S. and Israel. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accused demonstrators of trying to “please” Trump and called them “troublemakers” and “rioters,” warning that the regime “will not back down.” Iran's judiciary and security chiefs vowed “no tolerance” for unrest, while the foreign minister labeled Trump's threats “reckless and dangerous.”
Trump’s remarks build on earlier warnings, including statements that the U.S. is “locked and loaded” and would “come to their rescue” if peaceful protesters were killed. The U.S. president has framed the situation as payback for the regime’s mistreatment of its people.
The protests represent one of the most widespread challenges to the Islamic Republic since the 2022 “Women, Life, Freedom” movement, fueled by economic despair, corruption, and political repression. As the blackout continues and clashes persist, fears grow of further escalation and higher casualties.
International observers, including the United Nations, have expressed concern over the reported loss of life and called for protection of civilians and the right to peaceful protest.
