Israel will be target if America strikes over protests: Iran

Nationwide protests challenging Irans theocracy saw protesters flood the streets in the countrys capital and its secondlargest city into Sunday crossing the twoweek mark as violence surrounding the demonstrations has killed at least 116 people activists saidWith the internet down in Iran and phone lines cut off gauging the demonstrations from abroad has grown more difficult But the death toll in the protests has grown while 2600 others have been detained according to the USbased Human Rights Activists News AgencyMeanwhile Irans parliament speaker warned the US military and Israel would be legitimate targets if America strikes the Islamic Republic as threatened by President Donald Trump Qalibaf made the threat as lawmakers rushed the dais in the Iranian parliament shouting Death to AmericaThose abroad fear the information blackout will embolden hardliners within Irans security services to launch a bloody crackdown despite warnings from Trump hes willing to strike the Islamic Republic to protect peaceful demonstratorsTrump offered support for the protesters saying on social media that Iran is looking at FREEDOM perhaps like never before The USA stands ready to help The New York Times and Wall Street Journal citing anonymous US officials said on Saturday night that Trump had been given military options for a strike on Iran but hadnt made a final decisionThe State Department separately warned Do not play games with President Trump When he says hell do something he means itParliament ralliesIranian state television broadcast the parliament session live Qalibaf a hardliner who has run for the presidency in the past gave a speech applauding police and Irans paramilitary Revolutionary Guard particularly its allvolunteer Basij for having stood firm during the protestsThe people of Iran should know that we will deal with them in the most severe way and punish those who are arrested Qalibaf saidHe went on to directly threaten Israel the occupied territory as he referred to it and the US military possibly with a preemptive strikeIn 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 Qalibaf said We do not consider ourselves limited to reacting after the action and will act based on any objective signs of a threatIt remains unclear just how serious Iran is about launching a strike particularly after seeing its air defences destroyed during the 12day war in June with Israel Any decision to go to war would rest with Irans 86yearold Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali KhameneiThe US military has said in the Mideast it is postured with forces that span the full range of combat capability to defend our forces our partners and allies and US interestsProtests in Tehran and MashhadOnline videos sent out of Iran likely using Starlink satellite transmitters purportedly showed demonstrators gathering in northern Tehrans Punak neighbourhood There it appeared authorities shut off streets with protesters waving their lit mobile phones Others banged metal while fireworks went offOther footage purportedly showed demonstrators peacefully marching down a street and others honking their car horns on the streetIn Mashhad Irans secondlargest city some 725 kilometres northeast of Tehran footage purported to show protesters confronting security forces Flaming debris and dumpsters could be seen in the street blocking the road Mashhad is home to the Imam Reza shrine the holiest in Shiite Islam making the protests there carry heavy significance for the countrys theocracyProtests also appeared to happen in Kerman 800 kilometres southeast of TehranIranian state television on Sunday morning took a page from demonstrators having their correspondents appear on streets in several cities to show calm areas with a date stamp shown on screen Tehran and Mashhad were not included They also showed progovernment demonstrations in Qom and QazvinKhamenei has signalled a coming clampdown despite US warnings Tehran escalated its threats Saturday with Irans attorney general Mohammad Movahedi Azad warning that anyone taking part in protests will be considered an enemy of God a deathpenalty charge The statement carried by Iranian state television said even those who helped rioters would face the chargeMore demonstrations planned SundayIrans theocracy cut off the nation from the internet and international telephone calls on Thursday though it allowed some stateowned and semiofficial media to publish Qatars statefunded Al Jazeera news network reported live from Iran but they appeared to be the only major foreign outlet able to workIrans exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi who called for protests Thursday and Friday asked in his latest message for demonstrators to take to the streets Saturday and Sunday He urged protesters to carry Irans old lionandsun flag and other national symbols used during the time of the shah to claim public spaces as your ownPahlavis support of and from Israel has drawn criticism in the past particularly after the 12day war Demonstrators have shouted in support of the shah in some protests but it isnt clear whether thats support for Pahlavi himself or a desire to return to a time before the 1979 Islamic RevolutionThe demonstrations began December 28 over the collapse of the Iranian rial currency which trades at over 14 million to USD 1 as the countrys economy is squeezed by international sanctions in part levied over its nuclear program The protests intensified and grew into calls directly challenging Irans theocracyThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever