Jan. 2 (UPI) -- U.S. President Donald Trump warned the Iranian government Friday that the United States would intervene if it resorted to deadly force amid mounting anti-government protests across the country over prices, inflation and a currency collapse.
If Iran "violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States will come to their rescue. We are locked and loaded and ready to go," said Trump, without elaborating what form any intervention might take.
The comments, which came as the number of people reported killed in protests that erupted Sunday rose to six, were met with defiance from Tehran, threatening that U.S. involvement could spark chaos across the region.
Top security official Ali Larijani said Trump "should know that U.S. interference in this internal matter would mean destabilizing the entire region and destroying America's interests."
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