Iran’s military leadership has issued a forceful warning to the United States and Israel regarding their statements on ongoing domestic protests within the Islamic Republic. General Amir Hatami, commander of the Iranian army, declared on Wednesday that Tehran would not tolerate continued hostile rhetoric from foreign powers and would respond decisively to any perceived threats.
According to reports from Fars News Agency, General Hatami emphasized that Iran considers the escalating verbal attacks against its nation as a direct provocation. The military commander specifically cautioned that any hostile actions by ‘the enemy’ would trigger a more severe response than the June conflict with Israel, which spanned twelve days and involved unprecedented strikes on Iranian military and nuclear facilities.
This warning comes amid increased international attention on merchant-led protests that began in Tehran on December 28th, initially demonstrating against economic pressures including soaring prices and the dramatic devaluation of the national currency. While these demonstrations have remained smaller in scale compared to previous protest movements in 2009 and 2022-2023, they have drawn notable comments from Western leaders.
US President Donald Trump stated on Sunday that the United States was monitoring the situation closely and warned of potential military intervention if protesters faced violence. Simultaneously, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed solidarity with Iranian citizens seeking ‘freedom, liberty and justice.’
In response, Iran’s foreign ministry has accused both leaders of attempting to incite violence and undermine national unity. The developing situation represents the latest chapter in ongoing tensions between Iran and Western powers, following last summer’s military confrontation that briefly involved American participation in strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities.