Washington/Tehran, January 13, 2026: US President Donald Trump on Tuesday urged Iranians to continue protests against their government, claiming that “help is on the way,” as Iranian authorities grappled with the country’s largest demonstrations in years.
In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump addressed “Iranian Patriots,” calling on them to “KEEP PROTESTING – TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!!” He added that he had cancelled all meetings with Iranian officials until what he described as the “senseless killing” of protesters comes to an end. Trump did not provide details about the nature of the assistance he referenced.
The unrest, triggered by worsening economic conditions, represents the most serious internal challenge to Iran’s leadership in at least three years. The protests come amid heightened international pressure following Israeli and US strikes on Iranian targets last year.
An Iranian official, speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said that individuals he described as terrorists were responsible for the deaths of both protesters and security personnel. The official did not provide a breakdown of casualties.
On Monday evening, Trump announced the imposition of 25 percent import tariffs on goods from any country conducting business with Iran, a major oil exporter. He has also warned that further military action remains an option, stating earlier this month that the United States is “locked and loaded” in response to Iran’s crackdown on protests.
Tehran has yet to respond publicly to the tariff announcement. However, the move was swiftly criticized by China. Iran, already under extensive US sanctions, exports most of its oil to China, while Turkey, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, and India are also among its key trading partners.
Meanwhile, Russia condemned what it termed “subversive external interference” in Iran’s internal affairs. In a statement on Tuesday, the Russian Foreign Ministry said US threats of new military strikes against Iran were “categorically unacceptable.”
“Those who plan to use externally inspired unrest as a pretext for repeating the aggression against Iran committed in June 2025 must be aware of the disastrous consequences of such actions for the Middle East and global international security,” the statement warned.
Despite the scale of the protests and Iran’s deep economic challenges, analysts note there are no clear signs of fractures within the country’s security establishment that could threaten the system in power since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
However, reflecting growing international uncertainty over Iran’s future, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he believed the government was nearing collapse. “I assume that we are now witnessing the final days and weeks of this regime,” he said, adding that reliance on violence to maintain power would signal its effective end. Merz did not clarify whether his assessment was based on intelligence or other information.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi rejected Merz’s remarks, accusing Germany of double standards and saying the German chancellor had “obliterated any shred of credibility.”
