4 months ago
1
U.S. President Donald Trump connected Tuesday (January 13, 2026) doubled down connected his menace of involution successful protest-hit Iran, telling protesters that “help is connected its way”, a time aft helium claimed that Iranian officials had reached retired to Washington for talks amid ongoing protests and a information crackdown successful the Islamic Republic.
“Iranian patriots, support protesting — instrumentality implicit your institutions. Save the names of the killers and abusers. They volition wage a large price,” Mr. Trump wrote successful a societal media post. “I person cancelled each meetings with Iranian officials until the senseless sidesplitting of protesters stops. Help is connected the way,” helium added, without explaining what benignant of “help” helium is offering.
On Monday (January 12, 2026), Mr. Trump said successful different societal media station that helium would enforce 25% tariff connected Iran’s trading partners. “Effective immediately, immoderate state doing concern with the Islamic Republic of Iran volition wage a Tariff of 25% connected immoderate and each concern being done with the United States of America. This Order is last and conclusive,” Mr. Trump said.
Iran’s main trading partners are China, Turkey, the UAE and Iraq. Turkey and the UAE are adjacent American allies.
Mr. Trump, who joined Israel successful bombing Iran successful June 2025 during the 12-day war, had earlier threatened to onslaught Iran again if protesters were killed. “If Iran shoots and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America volition travel to their rescue. We are locked and loaded and acceptable to go,” Mr. Trump said connected January 2.
Ali Larijani, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, had responded to Mr. Trump, saying “U.S. interference successful this interior substance would mean destabilizing the full portion and destroying America’s interests”.
What began arsenic a protestation by traders implicit falling currency and hyperinflation has dispersed into a nationwide protestation successful Iran. The authorities person imposed an net shutdown, and cracked down connected what they telephone “rioters and terrorists” connected Saturday. State media person reported that dozens of information unit were killed by “rioters”, portion Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has warned of a stern response. According to Norway-based Iran Human Rights, astatine slightest 648 radical were killed during the protests. The White House said connected Monday that Mr. Trump is pursuing diplomacy arsenic a archetypal edifice but remains “unafraid” of deploying subject force.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, successful an interrogation with Al Jazeera, said the authorities was successful talks with the protesters and the net was unopen down lone aft “we confronted violent operations and realised orders were coming from extracurricular the country”. In effect to Mr. Trump’s threats, helium said: “We are prepared for immoderate eventuality and we anticipation Washington volition take a omniscient option. It doesn’t substance which enactment they choose, we are acceptable for it.”
Meanwhile, the European Parliament has banned Iranian diplomats and different representatives arsenic EU leaders condemned Iran’s information crackdown.
“Those who defy the dangers successful the streets and the governmental prisoners who proceed to beryllium held request much than conscionable solidarity,” EU Parliament talker Roberta Metsola wrote to the members of parliament. “The prohibition applies to the Parliament’s premises successful Strasbourg, Brussels and Luxembourg.” The EU’s overseas argumentation main Kaja Kallas has signaled expanded sanctions against Iran.
While responding to the EU Parliament’s decision, Mr. Araghchi said: “More than 2 years of Genocide successful Gaza that has claimed the lives of 70,000 Palestinians has not led the European Parliament to instrumentality immoderate existent enactment against Israel. Even arsenic Netanyahu is wanted for warfare crimes by the ICC, helium freely flies implicit European airspace. In contrast, it takes lone a fewer days of convulsive riots successful Iran for the European Parliament to physically prohibition our diplomats.”
“People are not stupid. They spot what is unfolding with their ain eyes. Iran does not question enmity with the EU, but volition reciprocate immoderate restriction,” helium added successful a societal media post.
