Iran's Protests Enter Their Third Week as Parliament Warns Washington of Any Possible Attack

SadaNews - Protests in Iran entered their third week on Sunday, since they began on December 28 of last year, following a strike at the Grand Bazaar of Tehran, in protest against rising prices, deteriorating living conditions, and a sharp decline in the value of the rial.

Iranian authorities announced a noticeable reduction in protests compared to previous days, while U.S. President Donald Trump spoke about the readiness of the United States to support the protesters, stating that "Iran is looking for freedom perhaps more than ever before."

Iranian state television reported the death of 30 members of the security and police forces in Isfahan province during the recent protests.

In a related context, the commander of special forces in the Iranian police reported that 8 of his forces were killed during the riots that occurred last Thursday and Friday.

The Iranian Red Crescent announced the death of a member of its team during an attack on relief buildings in the city of Gorgan in northern Iran.

For his part, the Iranian Minister of Interior stated that the riots have begun to gradually diminish, indicating a decrease in the scale of protests compared to previous days.

In contrast, human rights sources reported that the protests resulted in the death of at least 116 people and the arrest of more than 2,600 others, as dozens of Iranian security forces were injured, with 270 of their members wounded since the beginning of the protests.

The Iranian authorities pointed out that many of their personnel were killed or injured during the riots, while the Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, Mohammad Baqir Qalibaf, warned against any possible military attack on Iran, asserting that "the Israeli entity and all U.S. bases would be legitimate targets."

Iranian official media published footage of the funerals of security forces members, while the Revolutionary Guard accused "terrorists" of targeting military and security bases, leading to the deaths of several civilians and security personnel and the burning of public property.

On the political and international front, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen expressed Europe's support for the demonstrators and condemned their repression, while the Iranian government accused the United States of inciting and stirring chaos within the country, asserting that the people support the regime and are stronger than ever, acknowledging the state of public discontent and economic problems.

In Washington, reports indicated that the Trump administration discussed potential options for strikes on Iran in response to the repression of protesters, including targeting military sites, noting that no final decision has been made yet, and planning is ongoing as part of regular preparations while continuing to study the military and political implications of any potential moves.

The protests come amid worsening economic crises, with inflation rising to 43% and the rial reaching record lows, sparking anger among traders and citizens and prompting them to take to the streets to express their dissatisfaction with living conditions.