Iran issues stark warning to US and Israel over potential Trump strike as unrest kills 116

After Trump said “the USA stands ready to help”

The anti-government demonstrations in Iran have been ongoing for the past two weeks and thousands are believed to have been arrested in the protests.

Activists have reported that at least 116 have died amid a brutal crackdown from the state police.

Leaders in the Islamic Republic have now issued a chilling warning to the US and its key ally in the region, in the hopes of preventing an intervention on the side of the protesters.

Following threats by US President Donald Trump, speaker of Iran’s parliament, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, warned that American military personnel would be “legitimate targets” for reprisals if America gets involved in the disorder spreading across Iran.

The warning comes as Trump took to social media to comment on the matter, saying: “Iran is looking at FREEDOM, perhaps like never before”, as the unrest continued for its 14th day.

The US president added that “the USA stands ready to help”, while in a televised parliamentary session in Iran, the speaker threatened a further crackdown, saying: “The people of Iran should know that we will deal with them in the most severe way and punish those who are arrested.”

Qalibaf then added that “in the event of an attack on Iran, both the occupied territory and all American military centres, bases and ships in the region will be our legitimate targets.”

As per The New York Times and Wall Street Journal, sources inside the White House say that Trump is examining military options so the US can tip the scales to the protesters' advantage, while the State Department previously warned “Do not play games with President Trump. When he says he’ll do something, he means it”.