U.S. President Donald Trump said Saturday that “Iran is looking at freedom, perhaps like never before” and declared that “the USA stands ready to help!!!”
The message, posted to Truth Social, comes amid widespread anti-regime protests in Iran and growing speculation about potential American intervention.
Shortly before Trump’s statement, The Wall Street Journal reported that senior Trump administration officials recently held preliminary discussions about possible military action against Iran. According to the report, administration officials reviewed potential Iranian targets and discussed options for an airstrike campaign, though they emphasized there were no signs of imminent military action and no changes in U.S. troop or equipment deployment.
One official told the Journal that a broad airstrike against multiple Iranian military targets was among the options considered. However, no consensus has been reached on a course of action.
Protests in the streets of Tehran
Earlier Saturday, Trump reposted a message from Republican Senator Lindsey Graham warning Iran’s leadership to take Trump’s threats seriously. “This is truly not the Obama administration when it comes to standing up to the Iranian ayatollah and his religious Nazi henchmen,” Graham wrote. “Your brutality against the great people of Iran will not go unchallenged. Make Iran Great Again.” Trump echoed the message on social media.
The U.S. State Department added to the pressure with a provocative tweet on X, posting a video showing the arrest of Venezuela’s former leader Nicolás Maduro, alongside the message: “Don’t play games with President Trump. When he says he'll do something, he means it 🔥.”
Trump reiterated his threat from the previous night, warning Iran’s rulers: “You better not start shooting, because if you do, we will shoot back.” He added, “The U.S. is watching closely. Iran is in serious trouble. Protesters seem to be taking over cities — something nobody thought possible just weeks ago. If they start killing people like in the past, we will intervene and strike very hard.”
Meanwhile, anti-government protests continued Saturday in several Iranian cities, including Tehran, marking the 14th consecutive day of unrest. The protests, which have intensified in recent days, are increasingly viewed as a serious threat to the clerical regime.
It remains unclear whether mass demonstrations resumed Saturday night at the scale seen in previous days following calls by exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi, son of the deposed shah. Iran has been under a near-total internet blackout since Thursday night, now entering its third full day, which has severely limited communication and the flow of protest footage.