Iran warns US troops and Israel will probably be targets if America strikes over protests as dying toll rises : NPR

[ad_1] <img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/2680x1787+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fc2%2F68%2F351faf2245d6963e61860ebe819a%2Fap26010842324226.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/2680x1787+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fc2%2F68%2F351faf2245d6963e61860ebe819a%2Fap26010842324226.jpg" class="img" alt="This frame grab from footage circulating on social media from Iran showed protesters once again taking to the streets of Tehran despite an intensifying crackdown as the Islamic Republic remains cut off from the rest of the world in Tehran, Iran, Saturday Jan. 10, 2026." fetchpriority="high"/> This body seize from footage circulating on social media from Iran confirmed protesters as soon as once more taking to the streets of Tehran regardless of an intensifying crackdown because the Islamic Republic stays reduce off from the remainder of the world in Tehran, Iran, Saturday Jan. 10, 2026. UGC/AP conceal caption

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UGC/AP DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Nationwide protests difficult Iran's theocracy noticed protesters flood the streets within the nation's capital and its second-largest metropolis into Sunday, crossing the two-week mark as violence surrounding the demonstrations has killed a minimum of 116 individuals, activists stated.

With the web down in Iran and telephone strains reduce off, gauging the demonstrations from overseas has grown tougher. However the dying toll within the protests has grown, whereas 2,600 others have been detained, in keeping with the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists Information Company.

In the meantime, Iran's parliament speaker warned the U.S. navy and Israel could be "professional targets" if America strikes the Islamic Republic, as threatened by President Donald Trump. Qalibaf made the menace as lawmakers rushed the dais within the Iranian parliament, shouting: "Loss of life to America!"

These overseas concern the knowledge blackout will embolden hard-liners inside Iran's safety providers to launch a bloody crackdown, regardless of warnings from Trump he is prepared to strike the Islamic Republic to guard peaceable demonstrators.

Trump provided help for the protesters, saying on social media that "Iran is FREEDOM, maybe like by no means earlier than. The USA stands prepared to assist!!!" The New York Instances and Wall Avenue Journal, citing nameless U.S. officers, stated on Saturday night time that Trump had been given navy choices for a strike on Iran, however hadn't made a closing resolution.

The State Division individually warned: "Don't play video games with President Trump. When he says he'll do one thing, he means it."

Parliament rallies Iranian state tv broadcast the parliament session dwell. Qalibaf, a hard-liner who has run for the presidency prior to now, gave a speech applauding police and Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, significantly its all-volunteer Basij, for having "stood agency" through the protests.

"The individuals of Iran ought to know that we'll take care of them in essentially the most extreme method and punish those that are arrested," Qalibaf stated.

He went on to instantly threaten Israel, "the occupied territory" as he referred to it, and the U.S. navy, probably with a preemptive strike.

"Within the occasion of an assault on Iran, each the occupied territory and all American navy facilities, bases and ships within the area will probably be our professional targets," Qalibaf stated. "We don't contemplate ourselves restricted to reacting after the motion and can act primarily based on any goal indicators of a menace."

It stays unclear simply how severe Iran is about launching a strike, significantly after seeing its air defenses destroyed through the 12-day conflict in June with Israel. Any resolution to go to conflict would relaxation with Iran's 86-year-old Supreme Chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The U.S. navy has stated within the Mideast it's "postured with forces that span the total vary of fight functionality to defend our forces, our companions and allies and U.S. pursuits."

Protests in Tehran and Mashhad On-line movies despatched out of Iran, possible utilizing Starlink satellite tv for pc transmitters, purportedly confirmed demonstrators gathering in northern Tehran's Punak neighborhood. There, it appeared authorities shut off streets, with protesters waving their lit cell phones. Others banged steel whereas fireworks went off.

Different footage purportedly confirmed demonstrators peacefully marching down a avenue and others honking their automobile horns on the road.

In Mashhad, Iran's second-largest metropolis, some 725 kilometers (450 miles) northeast of Tehran, footage purported to indicate protesters confronting safety forces. Flaming particles and dumpsters could possibly be seen on the street, blocking the street. Mashhad is house to the Imam Reza shrine, the holiest in Shiite Islam, making the protests there carry heavy significance for the nation's theocracy.

Protests additionally appeared to occur in Kerman, 800 kilometers (500 miles) southeast of Tehran.

Iranian state tv on Sunday morning took a web page from demonstrators, having their correspondents seem on streets in a number of cities to indicate calm areas with a date stamp proven on display. Tehran and Mashhad weren't included. Additionally they confirmed pro-government demonstrations in Qom and Qazvin.

Khamenei has signaled a coming clampdown, regardless of U.S. warnings. Tehran escalated its threats Saturday, with Iran's legal professional basic, Mohammad Movahedi Azad, warning that anybody collaborating in protests will probably be thought-about an "enemy of God," a death-penalty cost. The assertion carried by Iranian state tv stated even those that "helped rioters" would face the cost.

Extra demonstrations deliberate Sunday Iran's theocracy reduce off the nation from the web and worldwide phone calls on Thursday, although it allowed some state-owned and semiofficial media to publish. Qatar's state-funded Al Jazeera information community reported dwell from Iran, however they seemed to be the one main overseas outlet capable of work.

Iran's exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, who referred to as for protests Thursday and Friday, requested in his newest message for demonstrators to take to the streets Saturday and Sunday. He urged protesters to hold Iran's outdated lion-and-sun flag and different nationwide symbols used through the time of the shah to "declare public areas as your individual."

Pahlavi's help of and from Israel has drawn criticism prior to now — significantly after the 12-day conflict. Demonstrators have shouted in help of the shah in some protests, nevertheless it is not clear whether or not that is help for Pahlavi himself or a need to return to a time earlier than the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

The demonstrations started Dec. 28 over the collapse of the Iranian rial foreign money, which trades at over 1.4 million to $1, because the nation's economic system is squeezed by worldwide sanctions partially levied over its nuclear program. The protests intensified and grew into calls instantly difficult Iran's theocracy.