• The Iranian government has pledged to safeguard public property amidst escalating unrest.
• Protests have erupted across Iran, demanding an end to clerical rule and responding to economic hardships.
• U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed support for the protesters and threatened intervention.
• Reports indicate that at least 50 protesters and several security personnel have died in recent clashes.
• The exiled son of Iran's last shah has called for broader revolt against the current regime.

The Iranian government has pledged to intensify its crackdown on ongoing protests, which have become the largest anti-government demonstrations in years, as the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) accuse rioters of acting on behalf of foreign enemies. “The USA stands ready to help!!!,” stated U.S. President Donald Trump via social media, revealing international concern over Iran's unrest, according to Reuters, Channel News Asia, Channel News Asia, and HuffPost.

Protests erupted on December 28, driven initially by soaring inflation but rapidly evolving into calls for the end of clerical rule. Footage from Tehran and other cities depicts large crowds chanting slogans against Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei. Iranian authorities have reacted with a mix of accusations against the U.S. and Israel for instigating unrest and a crackdown on dissenters, according to Reuters, Channel News Asia, Channel News Asia, and HuffPost.

As violence continues, Iranian rights group HRANA reports that over 50 protesters and 15 security personnel have been killed. Additionally, approximately 2,300 arrests have taken place amid the violence. With an internet blackout limiting communication and information dissemination, the situation remains difficult to assess fully, according to Reuters, Channel News Asia, Channel News Asia, and HuffPost.

Moreover, Reza Pahlavi, an exiled figure and son of Iran's last shah, has called for the protests to expand into a full-scale revolt to topple the current regime. He has encouraged protesters to prepare for a significant uprising, underscoring the escalating discontent within the country. Pahlavi asserted that the opposition's aim is now to "seize city centres and hold them," marking a decisive shift in the movement's strategy, as reported by Reuters, Channel News Asia, Channel News Asia, and HuffPost.

On the ground, reports of injuries among protesters are emerging, with some accounts detailing severe wounds inflicted during clashes with security forces. Medics have reported treating individuals with gunshot wounds, with a rising number of fatalities in hospitals imbuing the unrest with even greater urgency, as stated by Reuters, Channel News Asia, Channel News Asia, and HuffPost.