Maps
Magazine

WORLD NEWS

Iranian Army Vows to Protect Strategic Assets Amid Escalating Protests
Amid growing protests over rising costs, Iranian army and IRGC vow to safeguard infrastructure and public property; at least 51 protesters, including 9 children, reported killed so far.
ND
by News Desk
2026-01-10
Iranian Army Vows to Protect Strategic Assets Amid Escalating Protests

The Iranian army has pledged to protect the country’s strategic infrastructure and public property amid widespread antigovernment protests, while urging citizens to thwart what it described as “enemy plots.” The announcement comes as United States President Donald Trump issued new warnings to Iran over the escalating unrest.

In a statement published on semi-official news platforms on Saturday, Iran’s army accused Israel and hostile groups of attempting to undermine public security. The army said it would “resolutely protect and safeguard national interests, the country’s strategic infrastructure, and public property,” under the command of the Supreme Leader.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) also emphasized that safeguarding the achievements of the 1979 revolution and the nation’s security is a “red line,” according to state TV reports.

The protests, triggered by rising living costs, have left at least 51 people, including nine children, dead and hundreds injured, according to Norway-based NGO Iran Human Rights. Demonstrators have taken to streets in Tehran, Karaj, Mashhad, Tabriz, Qom, Shiraz, and Hamedan. Authorities have implemented a 36-hour nationwide internet blackout to curb the unrest, Amnesty International said.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterated Washington’s support for the Iranian people, and former US President Donald Trump warned Iran’s leaders against using force, stating, “You better not start shooting because we’ll start shooting too.”

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei labeled protesters as “vandals” and “saboteurs,” blaming foreign interference. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused the US and Israel of attempting to escalate protests, claims the US rejected as “delusional.”

Analysts say economic grievances remain central to the unrest. Mehran Kamrava, a government professor at Georgetown University Qatar, noted that Iran’s official inflation rate is 42 percent, but unofficial estimates are closer to 60 percent, calling new subsidy measures “insufficient” to ease public frustration.

The unrest represents the largest antigovernment protests since the 2022-2023 demonstrations triggered by the death in custody of Mahsa Amini. Opposition figures, including Reza Pahlavi, son of Iran’s ousted shah, have called for targeted city-centre protests, urging citizens to prepare to seize and hold strategic locations.

In response, foreign officials including ministers from Australia, Canada, and the EU have condemned the use of excessive force, demanding an immediate end to lethal measures against civilians.
Tagged:

HumanRights

IranProtests

IranUnrest

IRGC
Share News: