Death Toll Reaches 19 As Iran Protests Spread To 78 Cities

Police said the explosives, weighing roughly 2,000 kilograms, were being transported for use in large-scale attacks targeting key locations across the city. The seizure was made during an operation against the Balochistan Liberation Army, according to Pakistani police.

The explosives were discovered and confiscated before they could be deployed, officials said, adding that an investigation into the network behind the shipment was under way.

Pakistani authorities say militant violence in the country has increased since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in August 2021.

The Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies has reported a sharp rise in attacks. In a recent assessment, the institute said Pakistan recorded a 34 precent increase in terrorist incidents in 2025 compared with the previous year.

According to the report, about 700 militant attacks were recorded across Pakistan in 2025, killing at least 1,034 people and injuring hundreds more. The institute said overall insecurity and militant violence in Pakistan have risen significantly since the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan.

Trump said further details would be released shortly.

In a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump wrote: “The United States of America has successfully carried out a large-scale strike against Venezuela and its leader.”

He said the operation was conducted in cooperation with US law enforcement agencies, adding that additional information would be made public later.

Trump also said a press conference would be held at 11 a.m. local time on Saturday at Mar-a-Lago to provide more details.

US officials and Venezuelan authorities had not independently confirmed Trump’s claims at the time of publication.

The protests entered their sixth day on Friday, January 2, spreading to cities across the country amid a sharp fall in the value of the rial and a deepening economic crisis. Iranian authorities have detained dozens of protesters, and at least seven people have been killed, according to reports.

Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said US involvement in Iran’s internal affairs would have far-reaching consequences. “We distinguish between the legitimate demands of protesting shopkeepers and destructive elements,” Larijani said. “Trump should know that US interference in this internal matter would mean chaos across the entire region and the destruction of US interests.”

He warned that “the American people should know that Trump has embarked on adventurism,” adding: “They should look after their soldiers.”

Trump said on Friday that if the Islamic Republic “shoots and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue.”

Ali Shamkhani, an adviser to Iran’s supreme leader, also issued a warning, saying: “Any intervening hand that approaches Iran’s security will be cut off with a regret-inducing response.” Referring to past US-led wars in Afghanistan, Iraq and Gaza, Shamkhani said Iranians were well aware of what Washington’s claims of “rescue” entailed. “Iran’s national security is a red line, not a subject for adventurous tweets,” he added.

Iran’s Defence Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh said the country’s armed forces would respond decisively and without hesitation to any threat, claiming Iran’s defensive capabilities had grown since the 12-day war earlier this year.

Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf also condemned Trump’s remarks, warning that any act of adventurism would make all US bases and forces in the region legitimate targets for Iran.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Iranians would resolve their problems through dialogue among themselves and would not tolerate foreign interference.

The United States maintains military bases across the Middle East, including in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq and Qatar. In June 2025, following US strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities during the 12-day war, Iran launched missile attacks on the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.

As protests continued on Friday, residents of Zahedan, in Iran’s Sistan and Baluchestan province, chanted “Death to the dictator,” according to witnesses. Demonstrations featuring anti-government slogans have taken place in more than 17 provinces in recent days.

In a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump said that the violent suppression of protests is the Iranian government’s “custom” and that Washington would respond if such actions occur.

“We are locked and loaded and ready to go,” Trump wrote.

Protests in Iran entered their sixth day on Friday, January 2, according to reports. Iranian authorities have detained dozens of protesters, and at least seven people have been killed.

The demonstrations were sparked by the sharp and unprecedented fall of the Iranian rial against the US dollar, deepening economic turmoil and public anger over the government’s failure to address widespread livelihood concerns.

Iranian officials have not publicly responded to Trump’s remarks.

Protesters gathered in the cities of Isfahan, Kermanshah and Fasa, with reports of fires being set in streets in some areas. In Fasa, located in Fars province, demonstrators assembled outside the governor’s office, and videos circulating on social media appeared to show protesters storming the building.

Footage from the city showed crowds chanting slogans including “Death to the dictator”, a chant also reported during demonstrations in Kermanshah. Protesters have blamed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei for the country’s worsening economic conditions.

Earlier reports indicated that several protesters had been arrested. The University of Tehran’s student union council said six students detained during demonstrations had since been released.

The unrest has drawn international reaction. The Persian-language account of the US State Department on X said it was concerned by reports of intimidation, violence and arrests, calling on Iranian authorities to end the repression of protesters.

Former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also commented on X, saying it was “no surprise” that Iranians were taking to the streets to protest a collapsing economy. He accused the Iranian leadership of undermining the country through “extremism and corruption”.

The protests follow strikes by Iranian merchants that began on Sunday, December 28, in response to the sharp fall in the national currency and deteriorating economic conditions.