US President Donald Trump is reportedly seriously considering military action against Iran in response to ongoing riots, according to a New York Times report citing senior US officials.
Non-military and security force targets under consideration
The report states that Trump has been briefed on several options, including strikes on non-military targets in Tehran and Iranian security forces. While no final decision has been made, officials warn that any US strike could trigger retaliatory attacks on American personnel and diplomatic facilities across the region, something the US would need to prepare for.
Trump has threatened to intervene in the ongoing riots under the pretext of “saving the protesters.”
Iranian officials have repeatedly denounced what they describe as foreign interference in internal affairs, particularly from the United States and “Israel”, and have called for regional states to resist divisive efforts designed to destabilise the region.
Iranian security forces detain dozens amid riots across provinces
More than 100 individuals have been detained across several provinces in Iran in connection with recent riots, as officials blame foreign interference for escalating unrest that began as economic protests.
In Lorestan province, security forces in coordination with military and intelligence bodies detained over 100 individuals for involvement in acts of insecurity across multiple cities, according to Tasnim news agency.
Authorities also reported the dismantling of two “terrorist teams,” one comprising four members in Borujerd and another of seven in Khorramabad, who were allegedly armed with firearms and bladed weapons and planning violence in the region.
Police commended residents for their cooperation and encouraged the public to report any security-related information through the Ministry of Intelligence and the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) hotlines.
Key riot leaders arrested
In North Khorasan province, a security source told Tasnim that key leaders of riots in the provincial capital, Bojnourd, had been arrested following investigations. The source stated those detained had direct links to foreign organisations involved in organising and directing the unrest.
The source added that the suspects were in contact with intermediaries connected to foreign intelligence services and were orchestrating acts of vandalism. Confessions from the suspects reportedly revealed plots to fabricate fatalities and blame the Islamic Republic for deaths, suggesting broader aims beyond peaceful protest.
The source emphasised that arrests would continue until stability was restored in North Khorasan.
