Trump urges Iranians to keep protesting, says ‘help is on its way’

WASHINGTON/DUBAI: US President Donald Trump on Tuesday urged Iranians to continue protesting against their government, saying help was on the way, without providing further details, as Tehran intensifies its crackdown on the largest demonstrations in years.

“Iranian Patriots, KEEP PROTESTING – TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!!… HELP IS ON ITS WAY,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social. He added that all meetings with Iranian officials had been canceled until the “senseless killing” of protesters stops.

The unrest, driven by worsening economic conditions, has posed the biggest internal challenge to Iran’s clerical rulers in three years. Earlier on Tuesday, an Iranian official acknowledged that about 2,000 people had been killed in the protests, marking the first public acknowledgment of the high death toll. The official blamed what he described as “terrorists” for the deaths of both protesters and security personnel.

On Monday, Trump announced 25% import tariffs on goods from any country trading with Iran. He has also indicated that military options remain on the table to respond to the crackdown. China swiftly criticized the tariffs, while Iran has not yet publicly responded.

Russia condemns ‘external interference’

Russia strongly condemned what it called “subversive external interference” in Iran’s domestic affairs, calling U.S. threats of military action “categorically unacceptable.” The Russian Foreign Ministry warned that any attempt to use protests as a pretext for aggression would have “disastrous consequences” for the Middle East and global security.

Despite the protests and ongoing international pressure, there are currently no signs of splits within Iran’s security elite that could threaten the clerical system in power since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

However, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he believes the Iranian government is on the verge of collapse. “I assume that we are now witnessing the final days and weeks of this regime,” he said, adding that the use of violence to maintain power signals its effective end.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi dismissed Merz’s remarks, accusing Germany of double standards and saying the comments had “obliterated any shred of credibility.”