‘Don’t Play Games’: Trump Warns Iran After Maduro Operation

A forceful message from President Donald Trump, warning adversaries in Tehran not to “play games” and underscoring that he “is a man of action,” comes on the heels of recent U.S. action against socialist dictator Nicolás Maduro, sharpening pressure on Iran’s leadership as anti-regime protests spread.

On Sunday, the State Department’s Persian-language social media account shared a message featuring President Trump alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio, cautioning Iran’s leadership not to underestimate the American president’s resolve. 

“President Trump is a man of action. If you don’t know, now you know,” the post reads.

The accompanying image prominently displayed the message, “Don’t play games with President Trump,” reinforcing the administration’s warning to Iran’s leadership.

The message mirrored an earlier English-language post and emphasized that Trump is prepared to act decisively.

The warning comes amid widening demonstrations inside Iran and growing pressure on the ruling clerical establishment. British media reports suggest contingency plans among senior Iranian leadership, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, should unrest continue to spread.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday, President Trump said the United States would respond forcefully if the Iranian regime used deadly violence against civilians. 

“We are monitoring this matter very closely. If [the Islamic Republic regime] starts killing people like they have in the past, I think they’re going to get hit very hard by the United States,” he said.

In a separate Persian-language post, the State Department highlighted President Trump’s recent comments contrasting current U.S. military posture with past withdrawals. 

“Compare that to Afghanistan, where we were the laughingstock of the entire world. We’re no longer the laughingstock. We undoubtedly have the best army in the world. Their professionalism and bravery… it was almost impossible to hold them back… It couldn’t have been better than this,” the post reads.

Additional posts on the State Department’s Persian-language account referenced recent U.S. actions in Venezuela, including a photo of President Nicolás Maduro in custody, in what appeared to be a further warning aimed at Iran’s leadership.

On Friday, President Trump warned that the United States will intervene if Iran’s regime violently suppresses protesters.

The president was responding to the eruption of nationwide protests against the terrorist regime in Iran that began last week, a response to the collapse in the value of the rial, the national currency, in addition to various national crises that include a months-long struggle to maintain the water supply. 

Despite Iran’s repressive apparatus, protesters continue to fight back against regime institutions, as chants of “death to the dictator” and “death to Khamenei” spread.

Human rights monitors and opposition-linked outlets reported dozens killed and hundreds arrested as protests enter a second week, signaling one of the most sustained challenges to Tehran’s authority in years.