Trump Warns Iran: 'Locked and Loaded' if Protesters Harmed; Tehran Threatens US Bases

• Trump warned Iran of US intervention if lethal force is used against peaceful protesters, stating "We are locked and loaded."
• Tehran immediately responded, with Iran's parliament speaker warning US military bases and forces in the region would be "legitimate targets" if the US acts aggressively.
• Ali Shamkhani, a senior aide to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, called Iran's national security a "red line" and warned of a "regret-inducing" response to any intervention.
• Protests in Iran began over economic issues like high inflation (42.5% in December) and currency slide, widening to anti-establishment slogans.
• Iranian state-linked figures claim some protest videos and chants are manipulated using AI, signaling an information war.

Why It Matters: US-Iran tensions escalate as Trump warns intervention and Tehran threatens US bases over protests.