Former U.S. envoy to Iran Marshall Billingslea said Iran may have already crossed a “red line” amid escalating protests and a deadly crackdown, telling Newsmax that the regime is deploying elite forces as civilian unrest grows and casualties mount.
Appearing Saturday on Newsmax TV's "Saturday Report," Billingslea said protests across Iran have reached a level not seen in previous waves of unrest, with security forces responding with lethal force.
“In many cases, in some of the larger cities, the local police have either refused to crack down or have actually joined the side of the protesters,” Billingslea said. “Which is why the ayatollah has now deployed the IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) to kill them.”
He said death toll estimates range from as few as 50 to as many as 200 protesters killed, numbers he described as far exceeding those of prior demonstrations.
The IRGC, a powerful military and intelligence force loyal to Iran’s supreme leader, has frequently been accused by human rights groups of leading violent crackdowns.
Billingslea said President Donald Trump’s warning to Iran over the protests should be taken seriously, adding that the threshold for action may already have been breached.
“I personally think his red line has been crossed,” Billingslea said, while emphasizing that Trump is methodical when it comes to using force.
“He chooses the time and the place based on a variety of factors.”
He suggested the president likely has access to intelligence far beyond what is publicly available and is weighing multiple strategic concerns related to Iran.
Billingslea also pointed to recent discussions between Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying the two leaders had met weeks before the protests expanded.
According to Billingslea, those talks included the possibility of military action to prevent Iran from rebuilding missile stockpiles and expanding or hardening its nuclear weapons infrastructure.
“This is really in advance of the protests swelling,” he said, calling Iran-related issues “a wide range” that go beyond the current unrest.
He further alleged that Iran has imported Iraqi militias and Hezbollah operatives to assist in suppressing protesters, underscoring what he described as the regime’s growing reliance on outside forces.
Despite Iran’s reported shutdown of internet access, Billingslea said videos of the protests continue to circulate, crediting satellite-based communications for helping protesters organize.
“It’s impressive that we’re still able to see these videos,” he said, citing Elon Musk’s Starlink system as playing “a really important role” in keeping information flowing.
Billingslea described the situation as “very fluid,” adding that Trump is exercising “appropriate caution and diligence” as he considers next steps on Iran.
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Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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