The rhetoric between Tehran and Washington reached its highest pitch in years after the Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, declared that all U.S. military bases and forces in the region would be considered “legitimate targets” if the U.S. takes aggressive action.
This follows a highly provocative 3:00 AM post on Truth Social by President Trump, in which he claimed the U.S. military is “locked and loaded and ready to go” to “rescue” peaceful Iranian demonstrators if authorities continue to use lethal force.
A Nation in Turmoil: Why Iran is Protesting
The current unrest is the largest since the 2022 Mahsa Amini protests, but it is primarily fueled by a catastrophic economic collapse following the 12-Day War with Israel in June 2025.
- Currency Collapse: The Iranian rial has plummeted to a record low, trading at 1.42 million rials to one US dollar.
- Skyrocketing Inflation: Official figures for December 2025 show a general inflation rate of 42.2%, while food prices have surged by more than 72% year-on-year.
- Deadly Crackdown: At least seven people (some reports suggest more) have been confirmed dead in clashes between security forces and protesters since Sunday. Fatalities have been reported in the cities of Azna, Lordegan, and Kouhdasht.
Political Stalemate in Tehran
President Masoud Pezeshkian, who took office promising reform, has admitted his administration is “powerless” against the sheer scale of the currency crisis. While he has signaled openness to “legitimate demands,” the more hardline elements of the regime—backed by the Revolutionary Guard (IRGC)—have warned of a “decisive response” to what they label as “foreign-backed rioters.”
Regional Consequences
The warning from Ali Khamenei’s senior adviser, Ali Larijani, was clear: any U.S. interference would not stay contained within Iran’s borders.
“Interference will lead to chaos across the entire region,” Larijani stated, alluding to Iran’s network of regional proxies that could target U.S. interests in Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon.
The Situation at a Glance: | Metric | Value / Status | | :— | :— | | Confirmed Deaths | 7+ (as of Jan 2, 2026) | | Inflation (Dec 2025) | 42.2% | | Exchange Rate | 1 USD = 1.42M Rial | | U.S. Stance | “Locked and Loaded” (Truth Social) | | Iran Stance | U.S. bases are “Legitimate Targets” |