New video footage released this week shows Iranian protesters calling for protection from President Donald Trump, with one demonstrator naming a street sign after him, following his two warnings to Tehran not to harm demonstrators or risk U.S. intervention, Iran International first reported.
Over the past day, demonstrators have escalated protests across Iran, calling out to Trump and chanting slogans against the government.
Video shared with the outlet from Wednesday showed the protester in Tehran symbolically changing the street name to honor Trump, while other clips featured handwritten messages reading, "Don't let them kill us."
Holly Dagres, senior fellow at the Washington Institute, posted one of the videos on X, commenting, "Since Trump's comments about the Iran protests, I've seen numerous videos of Iranian protesters either thanking him or, in this case, renaming streets after the US president."
Iran's judiciary issued a stern warning to protesters, saying there would be no leniency for anyone seen as aiding perceived enemies of the regime. Authorities accused Israel and the U.S. of using "hybrid tactics" to destabilize the nation.
The protests began with shopkeepers in Tehran expressing economic grievances and soon spread to distant cities in provinces such as Fars and Lorestan, where demonstrators voiced broader criticism of the ruling clerics.
The unrest has led many observers to question how much genuine public support Iran's leaders retain.
Human rights monitoring groups say the protests have already turned deadly. As of early January, at least 34 protesters and two police officers have been killed nationwide, with more than 2,000 people reportedly arrested during clashes with security forces.
International scrutiny of Tehran has intensified as Trump threatened possible intervention should Iranian security forces attack demonstrators, following heightened regional tensions and recent Israeli and U.S. actions targeting Iran's nuclear infrastructure.
Last week, as protests spread, Trump issued a warning on Truth Social, saying: "If Iran [shoots] and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue. We are locked and loaded and ready to go."
James Morley III ✉
James Morley III is a writer with more than two decades of experience in entertainment, travel, technology, and science and nature.
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