On Saturday, the leader of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) issued a warning to the U.S., stating the paramilitary group is “more prepared than ever—finger on the trigger” as American warships deploy to the Middle East. This caution follows weeks of pressure from the President amid large-scale anti-regime demonstrations and a brutal government crackdown where the IRGC was a central player.
“The Islamic Revolutionary Guard and beloved Iran are more prepared than ever—finger on the trigger—to carry out the orders and instructions of the Commander-in-Chief,” IRGC commander Gen. Mohammad Pakpour stated, as reported by The Associated Press, which cited Nournews, a media outlet linked to Iran’s Supreme National Security Council.
Pakpour also allegedly cautioned the U.S. and Israel “to steer clear of any miscalculations,” per the AP. This warning follows another one last week from an Iranian ambassador, who claimed the U.S. and Israel were to blame for “political destabilization, internal unrest, and chaos.”
Both Trump and the Israeli Prime Minister have voiced their support for Iranian protesters. Netanyahu mentioned that his nation was “closely monitoring” the situation. He also pledged that once Iran is “freed from the burden of tyranny,” Israel would be ready to be a peace partner.
On Tuesday, Iran cautioned Trump against taking any action against its Supreme Leader Ayatollah
“Trump is aware that if any aggressive hand is raised against our leader, we will not only sever that hand but also ignite their world,” Gen. Abolfazl Shekarchi, a spokesman for Iran’s armed forces, stated, as per the AP.
On Thursday, Trump informed reporters on Air Force One that he was deploying warships toward Iran “just in case” he decides to take action.
“We have a huge fleet heading that way, and perhaps we won’t need to use it,” Trump said, as reported by the AP.
A U.S. Navy official told the AP that the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and accompanying warships were in the Indian Ocean.
Anti-regime protests began on December 28 when Iranians took to the streets to express their frustration with the country’s economic struggles, which have grown more severe as Iran has become increasingly isolated globally. Since then, even with an internet shutdown, reports of violence against protesters have surfaced.
At the start of the protests, Trump warned the regime that the U.S. was “locked and loaded” and prepared to act if the regime resorted to violence against protesters.
Previously, on January 16, Trump posted on Truth Social, claiming the Iranian regime had . But Iran’s top prosecutor, Mohammad Movahedi, stated on Friday, “This allegation is entirely false; no such number exists, nor has the judiciary made any such ruling,” according to the AP.
The U.S.-based (HRANA) announced on Friday that the confirmed death toll had hit 5,137, with 7,402 people suffering serious injuries. HRANA also noted that the total number of arrests had climbed to almost 28,000.
On Wednesday, the Iranian government released its first official death toll, stating that 3,117 people had died. It indicated that 2,427 were civilians and security personnel, while the remainder were labeled “terrorists,” as per the AP.