TEHRAN, Jan 11– Iran’s parliament speaker warned on Sunday that U.S. military bases and Israel will become “legitimate targets” if Washington carries out a military strike against the Islamic Republic.
The threat comes as nationwide protests entering their third week have left at least 116 people dead and 2,600 detained. While President Donald Trump has offered support to demonstrators and reportedly reviewed military options for a strike, Tehran’s leadership has signaled a move toward a more violent crackdown.
“In the event of an attack on Iran, both the occupied territory and all American military centres, bases and ships in the region will be our legitimate targets,” Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf told a live-broadcast session of parliament. He added that Iran might not wait to be hit first, stating, “We do not consider ourselves limited to reacting after the action.”
The atmosphere inside the chamber was electric as lawmakers rushed the dais, chanting “Death to America!”
Outside the halls of power, the human cost continues to climb. Human rights activists report that the death toll reached 116 on Sunday, though a total internet blackout and severed phone lines have made it difficult to verify the full extent of the violence.
The U.S. State Department has issued a blunt warning to Tehran regarding the safety of the protesters. “Do not play games with President Trump. When he says he’ll do something, he means it,” the department stated.
Videos smuggled out of the country via satellite links show demonstrators blocking streets with flaming debris in Mashhad and gathering in northern Tehran. In response, Iran’s attorney general, Mohammad Movahedi Azad, declared that anyone participating in the protests would be charged as an “enemy of God”—a crime that carries the death penalty.
