Tehran Accuses Trump Of Inciting Protesters As US-Iran Diplomatic Ties Snap Amid Fears Of Attack

Last Updated:January 14, 2026, 18:57 IST

The Iranian leadership has issued a stern warning that US military bases in neighbouring countries will be targeted if any American attack takes place on their soil

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and US President Donald Trump. (AP file photos)

Diplomatic ties between the United States and Iran snapped on Wednesday as President Donald Trump overtly threatened military intervention in response to reports of thousands of casualties and mass arrests of anti-government protesters in the Islamic Republic.

This escalation led Iran to formally suspend all senior diplomatic communications with Washington, as reported by Al Jazeera and Tehran Times. The Iranian leadership has issued a stern warning that US military bases in neighbouring countries will be targeted if any American attack takes place on their soil.

The nationwide unrest, sparked by persistent economic hardships, has since evolved into a demand for political reform across all 31 provinces of the country. Human rights organisations have reported that the scale of state-sponsored violence is unprecedented, with the death toll from the protests reportedly increasing to more than 2,500.

Here’s all you need to know:

1. Direct contact between senior officials from the United States and Iran has completely broken down as tensions rise. According to reports, diplomatic channels between Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araqchi and US special envoy Steve Witkoff have been suspended.
2. Iran has formally complained to the United Nations about remarks made by Donald Trump, rebuking him for inciting rioters and threatening military action. A senior Iranian official was quoted as saying this friction has “wiped out any possibility of progress" on the revival of the nuclear programme, and all meetings intended to find a diplomatic solution have been cancelled.
3. Trump, meanwhile, has openly threatened to intervene saying “help is on the way" for the protesters. In an interview, he vowed to take “very strong action" if Iran proceeds with the execution of detainees, stating: “If they hang them, you’re going to see some things."
4. While he did not give specifics, Trump said military action is among the options he is weighing and has already announced 25 percent import tariffs on any country doing business with Iran.
5. In response to these threats, Iran has warned its neighbours — specifically Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Turkey — that hosting US troops makes them targets. An Iranian official said US bases in those countries “will be attacked" if the US targets Iran.
6. Consequently, some personnel at the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar were advised to leave as part of a “posture change", though a large-scale evacuation has not yet been ordered. Iran is actively seeking to deter Trump by asking regional allies to “prevent Washington from attacking".
7. The ministry of external affairs (MEA) in India has issued a strong advisory for its citizens, urging them to avoid all travel to Iran until further notice. This follows a previous notice from January 5 that advised against non-essential travel. The Centre has also requested its citizens and persons of Indian origin (PIO) already residing in Iran to exercise extreme caution and strictly avoid protest areas as the security situation “deteriorated dramatically".
8. The Iranian judiciary has vowed to fast-track trials for those arrested during the “riots". Chief Justice Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, during a prison visit, stressed that speed in penalising those who committed acts of violence is critical. Prosecutors have begun pressing capital charges of “waging war against God".
9. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has indicated it is at the “peak of our readiness". Aerospace Commander Majid Mousavi said Iran’s stockpile of missiles has significantly increased since the 12-day war with Israel in June 2025. Reuters quoted sources as saying output for the guards’ aerospace forces is currently higher than previous levels, and all wartime damages from the prior year have been repaired.
10. Human rights groups have reported verified arrests of over 18,000 people. The French foreign minister described the situation as “the most violent repression in Iran’s contemporary history". To mask the scale of this crackdown, the government imposed an internet blackout that has lasted over 132 hours. Despite reports of bodies being lined up in morgues, the state has organised large pro-government rallies where participants wave pictures of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and carry banners reading ‘Death to America’.

(With agency inputs)

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