President Donald Trump issued a stark warning to Iran on Friday, stating the United States would intervene if the Iranian government violently suppresses ongoing peaceful protests.

"If Iran shoots and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue," Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform. He added, "We are locked and loaded and ready to go."

The warning comes amid growing unrest in Iran, where protests erupted last week over a severe economic crisis. The nation's currency has sharply declined, and official data shows annual inflation reached 42.2% in December, with food prices soaring 72%. The protests have turned violent in recent days, with local media reporting at least six civilian deaths.

Iranian officials swiftly condemned Trump's statement. Ali Larijani, an adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said that U.S. interference in Iran's internal affairs would be equivalent to sowing chaos across the entire region, according to comments reported by Reuters.

The economic turmoil fueling the protests has deep roots in U.S. policy. Iran's economy has struggled since 2018, when President Trump withdrew the U.S. from the multinational Iranian nuclear deal and re-imposed crippling sanctions. Tensions escalated further last June following U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, drawing Washington deeper into regional conflicts involving Israel.

Analysts suggest the protests reflect profound public discontent that extends beyond the economy. Suzanne Maloney, vice president and director of foreign policy at the Brookings Institution, stated that protesters are calling for systemic political change.

"We’re hearing cries of 'Death to the dictator.' We’re hearing slogans that juxtapose the regime’s support for militia groups across the region with the real interests and demands of the Iranian people," Maloney told CNBC on Wednesday. She noted that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has held power for 36 years.