Trump considers supporting Iranian protesters as Tehran warns of retaliation

US President Donald Trump has decided to support protesters in Iran following reports of fatalities during demonstrations that have continued for the past two weeks.

According to Israeli media, President Trump has, in principle, taken a decision to back protesters in Iran.

Meanwhile, US television networks report that the president has been briefed on military options in the aftermath of the protests, including potential measures targeting Iran’s security forces.

US media further reported that cyber operations against Iran and the imposition of new sanctions are also under consideration. In addition, the option of restoring internet access in Iran through Starlink technology has reportedly been discussed.

Iran, meanwhile, warned President Trump on Sunday that it would deliver a strong response to any act of US aggression.

Addressing parliament, Iranian Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said that if the United States launched any form of attack, Iran would retaliate by targeting Israel and US military bases in the region, describing them as “legitimate targets”.

Amid the possibility of US involvement in Iran, Israel has also been placed on high alert.

It is worth noting that protests have been ongoing in Iran for 14 days. According to claims by an Iranian human rights organisation, at least 192 people have been killed during the two-week unrest.

However, the US-based human rights group Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) claims that 490 protesters have been killed over the same period.