U.S. President Donald Trump has reiterated that Iran would face a “very hard” response if protesters are killed during the ongoing demonstrations in the country. The protests, which began over economic grievances, have since expanded to include political demands.

“We are watching it very closely. If they start killing people like they have in the past, I think they’re going to get hit very hard by the United States,” the Republican president said, speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One.

The protests began on December 28 in Tehran, when merchants closed their shops to protest hyperinflation and economic decline. Since then, the demonstrations have broadened, with participants increasingly voicing political demands.

According to official figures, at least 12 people have been killed since Wednesday, including members of the security forces.

These are the largest protest gatherings since 2022–2023, when hundreds of people were killed and thousands arrested, according to activists, following the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, a young woman detained by the morality police for allegedly violating the Islamic Republic’s strict dress code for women.

For now, the current protests remain smaller in scale.