This is according to the head of an independent Iranian news publication Warnings from President Trump Officials in the Middle Eastern country are worried and protesters are cheering as the biggest demonstrations in years sweep the nation.
The head of Iran’s Judiciary has warned that protesters will face the “maximum” punishment, and the country’s attorney general has said that anyone who participates in the protests will be considered an “enemy of God,” a charge punishable by death, according to the Associated Press.
Mr Trump has said the US will respond if protesters are killed. He he repeated his warning on Friday, telling Iranian leaders not to attack the protesters. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said online early Saturday that “the United States stands with the brave people of Iran.”
“I’m sure this has really scared many Iranian officials and may have affected their actions in terms of how they deal with the protesters, but at the same time it has encouraged many protesters to come out because they know the leader of the world’s major superpower is on their side,” said Maziar Bahari, editor of the independent news site Iranwire.
through UGC AP 
The demonstrations began in Tehran two weeks ago in response to Iran’s currency and economic failure. Holly Dagris, a non-resident fellow at the Washington Institute and editor of the Iranist newsletter, said the protests were driven by the same central issues of “mismanagement, corruption or repression” that fueled the uprisings after the death. Mahsa AminiWho was killed by Iran’s moral police in 2022.
Since then, they have grown all over the countrythousands fill the streets. Human rights groups say at least 65 people have been killed, and at least two hospitals in Tehran are reported to be overflowing with patients.
Iran’s state media has called the protesters terrorists, and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei he made a public address on Friday accused Iranians of ruining their streets to please the US president. Officials cut off the country’s internet on Thursday, effectively shutting Iran out.
Dagris said internet access was cut “because the Islamic Republic did not want the international community and Iranians to see what was going on.”
“I think there’s a real concern that if the Internet is shut down, the international community won’t pay attention and things on the ground will get worse,” said Dagris, who grew up in Iran.
He said he was not sure Mr. Trump’s warnings would prevent a crackdown.
“Unfortunately, this is a regime that has been in power for 47 years and has not changed its behavior, not even because the US president makes a threat,” said Dagris. “And we’re hearing that and we’re seeing that with what’s already happening… It’s an Islamic Republic that’s backed into a corner, and it’s attacking. And that’s what they do best, unfortunately: brutal repression.”
Bahari said that “a lot of people have called what is happening in Iran right now a revolution”, but noted that there is no opposition leader to rally around.
Reza Pahlavi, the son of the former shah who was ousted in January 1979, has encouraged protesters on social media and said he is preparing to return to the country, but it is unclear how much support he has inside Iran.