Military chief hits out at overseas ‘rhetoric’ concentrating on Iran, threatens decisive motion to ‘minimize off hand of any aggressor’.
Revealed On 7 Jan 2026
Iran’s prime choose warned protesters who’ve taken to the streets throughout a spiralling financial disaster there will probably be “no leniency for many who assist the enemy towards the Islamic Republic”, accusing the US and Israel of sowing chaos.
“Following bulletins by Israel and the US president, there is no such thing as a excuse for these coming to the streets for riots and unrest,” mentioned Chief Justice Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei on Wednesday in feedback on the lethal protests carried by Fars information company.
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Amid rising unrest, Iran is below worldwide stress after US President Donald Trump threatened final week that if Tehran “violently kills peaceable protesters, which is their customized, the USA of America will come to their rescue”.
His risk – accompanied by an assertion that the US is “locked and loaded and able to go” – got here seven months after Israeli and US forces bombed Iranian nuclear websites in a 12-day warfare.
Moreover, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu backed the protesters on Sunday, telling ministers, “It’s fairly potential that we’re at a second when the Iranian persons are taking their destiny into their very own arms.”
Following Ejei’s warning, Iran’s military chief threatened preemptive navy motion over the “rhetoric” concentrating on Iran.
Talking to navy academy college students, Main-Common Amir Hatami – who took over as commander-in-chief of Iran’s military after a slew of prime navy commanders have been killed in Israel’s 12-day warfare – mentioned the nation would “minimize off the hand of any aggressor”.
“I can say with confidence that right this moment the readiness of Iran’s armed forces is much better than earlier than the warfare. If the enemy commits an error, it’s going to face a extra decisive response,” mentioned Hatami.
‘Longstanding anger’
The nationwide demonstrations, which have seen dozens of individuals killed to this point, ignited on the finish of final month when shopkeepers in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar shuttered their companies in anger over the collapse of Iran’s rial forex, towards a backdrop of deepening financial woes pushed by mismanagement and punishing Western sanctions.
The Iranian state has not introduced casualty figures. HRANA, a community of human rights activists, reported a demise toll of not less than 36 folks in addition to the arrest of not less than 2,076 folks. Al Jazeera has been unable to confirm any figures.
Iranian Supreme Chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei promised to not “yield to the enemy” following Trump’s feedback, which acquired added significance after the US navy raid that seized Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, a longtime ally of Tehran, over the weekend.
In search of to halt the anger, Iran’s authorities started on Wednesday paying the equal of $7 a month to subsidise rising prices for dinner-table necessities equivalent to rice, meat and pasta – a measure extensively deemed to be a meagre response.
“Greater than per week of protests in Iran displays not solely worsening financial circumstances, however longstanding anger at authorities repression and regime insurance policies which have led to Iran’s international isolation,” the New York-based Soufan Middle assume tank mentioned.
