Iran’s parliament speaker warned Sunday that U.S. forces and Israel would become “legitimate targets” if Washington carries out military strikes against Iran, as threatened by President Donald Trump, amid intensifying unrest and mounting international tensions.
The warning came during a heated session in Iran’s parliament, where Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf made the remarks as lawmakers rushed the dais chanting “Death to America,” according to Iranian media.
Protests in Iran
The threat follows growing discussion in Washington and Jerusalem about possible U.S. intervention as Iran faces its largest anti-government protests in years.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed the possibility of American action against Iran during a phone call on Saturday, an Israeli source told Reuters. Israel has raised its alert level in anticipation of potential U.S. military moves, three Israeli sources who attended recent security consultations said.
A U.S. official confirmed that Rubio spoke with Netanyahu but declined to provide details. Axios earlier reported the conversation focused on Gaza, Syria and the unrest in Iran.
Opposition sources say Iranian security forces are using lethal force nationwide to suppress demonstrations. The London-based opposition broadcaster Iran International, citing activists and informed sources, reported that preliminary assessments point to a mass killing, with conservative estimates putting the death toll at at least 2,000 people over the past 48 hours.
The protests intensified after exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi called on Iranians to take to the streets beginning Thursday evening. Authorities have since cut off internet access and telephone lines nationwide, severely limiting independent verification.
Despite the blackout, international media outlets have spoken with protesters in Tehran and other cities who described widespread violence by security forces but also expressed hope that the Islamic Republic, in power since the 1979 revolution, may be nearing its end.
Iran International said it received images from Kahrizak, south of Tehran, showing dozens of bodies inside body bags, with eyewitnesses reporting additional bodies nearby. Similar footage was sent from Pardis in northern Iran, Karaj west of Tehran and from a hospital in eastern Tehran. Reports of intense violence were also received from the western cities of Ilam and Kermanshah.
The unrest unfolds against a backdrop of heightened regional tensions. Iran fought a 12-day war with Israel last year, and U.S. forces bombed Iranian nuclear facilities in June.
First published: 08:05, 01.11.26