NEW YORK: (Web Desk) – US President Donald Trump on Saturday said that people in Iran were witnessing an unprecedented push for freedom and reaffirmed that Washington was prepared to extend support as demonstrations continued to widen across the country.
Read also: Iran gripped by renewed mass protests amid internet blackout
Posting on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump said Iran was “looking at freedom, perhaps like never before,” adding that the United States stood ready to assist. He repeated similar remarks in subsequent posts as American media reported that the administration was reviewing possible responses to the unfolding situation.
Iran has seen repeated waves of protests since late December, largely driven by severe economic pressure, including a sharp fall in the value of the national currency and rising living costs. The protests first erupted on December 28 near Tehran’s Grand Bazaar before spreading to several other cities.
A day earlier, Trump warned that Iran was facing serious trouble as unrest expanded, saying the United States was monitoring developments closely and cautioning Iranian authorities against the use of deadly force on demonstrators.
Iranian officials have blamed the United States and Israel for inciting the protests, warning that security agencies and the judiciary would act firmly against what they described as sabotage.
On Saturday, Trump also reshared remarks by US Senator Lindsey Graham, who warned Tehran that any violent crackdown on protesters would carry consequences. He further shared a media report claiming that a protester in London had climbed the Iranian embassy building, removed the current regime’s flag and raised a pre-revolutionary emblem.
Meanwhile, US media outlets reported that the Trump administration had begun preliminary discussions on tougher options. According to The Wall Street Journal, officials had held early talks about potential military strikes, while another report suggested limited initial action against selected targets.
Separately, a retired US Navy officer urged Washington to strengthen digital support for Iranian protesters. Vice Admiral Robert Harward called for new State Department initiatives to help Iranians access secure virtual private networks during internet shutdowns, arguing that this would allow demonstrators to communicate and organise more safely. He also suggested identifying Iranian institutions involved in suppressing free expression and human rights violations.
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