Trump warns Iran would be 'blown up' if he's assassinated
What's the story
United States President Donald Trump has warned Iran of severe consequences if it goes ahead with its alleged assassination plans against him. In an interview with NewsNation, Trump said, "I have very firm instructions: anything happens, they're going to wipe them off the face of this earth." He accused former President Joe Biden of not responding strongly enough to similar threats in the past.
Past criticism
Trump criticizes Biden's inaction on Iran's threats
Trump "If they were making that threat to somebody even, not even a president, but somebody like they did with me, I would absolutely hit them so hard." This comes after Iranian officials warned Trump against taking any action against Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. General Abolfazl Shekarchi, a spokesperson for Iran's armed forces, said, "Trump knows that if any hand of aggression is extended toward our leader, we not only cut that hand but also...set fire to their world."
Retaliation warning
Iran rocked by protests since December
Iran has been rocked by widespread protests since late December, triggered by the rial's sharp depreciation, skyrocketing inflation, and high food costs. The protests were initially focused on Iran's struggling economy. However, they soon morphed into a movement against the Mullah regime, which has ruled since 1979. The Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) has reported at least 4,029 deaths and thousands of arrests during these protests.
Ongoing unrest
Iran blames 'terrorists and rioters' for deaths
Iran's Supreme Leader has blamed these deaths on "terrorists and rioters" linked to the United States and Israel. The country's judiciary has labeled these individuals as "Mohareb," a crime punishable by death in Iran. Trump has repeatedly threatened to "hit hard" if protestors were killed but has since praised Tehran for apparently canceling hundreds of planned executions.