President Donald Trump has warned Iran that the United States would come to the rescue of peaceful protesters if Iranian security forces killed them. “We are locked and loaded and ready to go,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. Iranian officials responded with their own counter-threats. This latest tension follows the U.S. bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities in June.

Protests have spread across Iran in recent weeks. These started with merchants in bazaars who had become enraged over economic hardship. Next, students walked out of universities. Now, everyday people from all walks of life are taking to the streets.