Former US President Donald Trump has said that “help is on its way” for the people of Iran and urged them to continue protesting against their government, in remarks that are likely to draw strong reactions from Tehran and add to already heightened regional tensions.
In a statement shared on social media, Trump voiced support for Iranian protesters who have repeatedly taken to the streets in recent years to oppose the country’s clerical leadership. He praised what he described as the courage of ordinary Iranians and claimed their demands for freedom and dignity were being heard beyond their borders. “To the great people of Iran: keep protesting,” Trump wrote, adding that outside support would eventually arrive.
The comments come amid ongoing unrest in Iran, where economic hardship, restrictions on personal freedoms, and anger over governance have periodically sparked nationwide demonstrations. Iranian authorities have consistently blamed foreign powers for encouraging dissent, accusing them of interfering in the country’s internal affairs. Trump’s remarks are therefore expected to be seized upon by Iranian officials as further evidence of external pressure.
During his presidency, Trump pursued a confrontational approach toward Iran, including withdrawing the United States from the 2015 nuclear agreement and imposing sweeping economic sanctions. He often framed his Iran policy as being in solidarity with the Iranian people rather than their leaders, a message he has continued to repeat even after leaving office.
Analysts note that while Trump’s statements may resonate with some protesters, they could also complicate the situation on the ground. Public expressions of support from high-profile foreign figures have, in the past, been used by Iranian authorities to discredit protest movements by portraying them as foreign-backed. This can increase pressure on demonstrators and provide justification for crackdowns.
So far, there has been no official response from the current US administration regarding Trump’s comments. Iranian state media, however, has previously rejected similar statements from Western leaders, insisting that protests are a domestic matter and warning against what it calls “psychological and media warfare.”
As protests continue to flare sporadically across Iran, Trump’s remarks underline how deeply international politics remains intertwined with internal dissent in the country. Whether such statements offer moral encouragement or risk escalating tensions remains a subject of debate among observers.