'Going to hit them very hard': Trump warns Iran as mass protests forced govt to cut off internet - key developments

Iran has imposed sweeping restrictions on communication, shutting down internet services and telephone lines across large parts of the country as protests against economic hardship intensified on Thursday.

There are also concerns that authorities may attempt to interfere with satellite signals to prevent footage of the unrest from reaching the outside world.Amid the clampdown, exiled Iranian crown prince Reza Pahlavi condemned the government’s actions, accusing it of deliberately silencing millions of Iranians demanding political and economic change. “Millions of Iranians demanded their freedom tonight. In response, the regime in Iran has cut all lines of communication.

It has shut down the Internet. It has cut landlines. It may even attempt to jam satellite signals,” Pahlavi wrote, in a strongly worded post on X.Pahlavi accused the Iranian regime of trying to silence millions of citizens who took to the streets demanding freedom amid worsening economic conditions.

He urged the international community to act decisively, calling for the use of “all technical, financial, and diplomatic resources available to restore communication to the Iranian people so that their voice and their will can be heard and seen.”

Pahlavi praises Trump, urges Europe to actPahlavi publicly thanked US President Donald Trump for what he described as a firm stance against the Iranian leadership, and called on European leaders to follow Washington’s lead.“I want to thank the leader of the free world, President Trump, for reiterating his promise to hold the regime to account. It is time for others, including European leaders, to follow his lead, break their silence, and act more decisively in support of the people of Iran,” he said.

Trump warns Tehran against killing protestersTrump issued a sharp warning to Iran’s leadership, threatening severe consequences if security forces use deadly force against protesters.“I have let them know that if they start killing people, which they tend to do during their riots -- they have lots of riots -- if they do it, we are going to hit them very hard,” Trump said during an interview with conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt.In a separate post on Truth Social earlier, Trump wrote: “If Iran violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue. We are locked and loaded and ready to go.”Trump did not specify what actions Washington might take, though the United States has long imposed sweeping sanctions on Tehran and has historically avoided direct military intervention. However, he ordered airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in June.US officials voice support for IraniansUS vice president JD Vance reiterated Washington’s support for peaceful protesters, saying the United States stands by those seeking basic freedoms.“We certainly stand by anybody who's engaged in peaceful protests, anybody who's trying to exert their rights for free association and to have their voices heard,” Vance said, adding that Iran’s leadership should pursue serious negotiations with the US over its nuclear programme.Meanwhile, the US State Department issued an unusually blunt warning in Persian on its official X account, aimed directly at Iran’s leadership. “President Trump is a man of action. If you didn’t know before, now you do. Don’t mess with President Trump,” the post on X read.

Protests spread nationwide The unrest, which began on 28 December, was initially sparked by shopkeepers in Tehran protesting another sharp fall in the value of the Iranian rial.

The currency has hit record lows over the past year, with inflation soaring to around 40 percent as sanctions over Iran’s nuclear programme compound long-standing issues of mismanagement and corruption.University students soon joined the demonstrations, which spread rapidly across provinces. Protesters have been heard chanting slogans against Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, and in some cases expressing support for Reza Pahlavi.According to the US-based Human Rights Activist News Agency, protests have erupted in 111 cities and towns across all 31 provinces. The group reported that at least 34 protesters and four security personnel were killed, with more than 2,200 arrests.BBC Persian confirmed the deaths and identities of 21 people, while Iranian authorities acknowledged the deaths of five security personnel.The current wave of unrest is the largest seen in Iran since 2022 and comes amid a deepening economic crisis, currency collapse and growing civil disobedience. Violent clashes between protesters and security forces have been reported in multiple locations, with videos circulating online showing gunfire, tear gas and stone-throwing.As communication blackouts tighten and international pressure mounts, the situation inside Iran remains volatile, with no clear indication of how the standoff between protesters and the regime will unfold.