Washington DC [US], January 8 (ANI): Republican Senator Lindsey Graham has issued a stark warning to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, asserting that US President Donald Trump would 'kill' him and other leaders in the regime if they continued to harm their people amid protests spreading across several Iranian provinces triggered by economic hardship, inflation and public anger over government policies.

In an interview with Fox News, Graham showed his solidarity with the demonstrators in Iran, who took to the streets expressing their unrest against the current regime.

He called out to 'the Ayatollah', warning him of US intervention in the region, which would result in his death if he continues to 'kill and terrorise' the people of the Islamic Republic.

'To the People of Iran, we stand with you tonight. We stand for you taking back your country from the Ayatollah, who kills you and terrorises the world. We pray for you. We support you. Donald J. Trump is not Barack Obama. He has your back,' the Republican Senator said to Fox News.

'To the Ayatollah: you need to understand, if you keep killing your people who are demanding a better life, Donald J. Trump is going to kill you. To the Ayatollah and his thugs: if you keep killing your people in defiance of President Trump, you are going to wake up dead,' he added.

His remarks come amid heightened tensions following Trump's threat an intervention during the protests in Iran, stating that Washington was 'locked and loaded' to respond if authorities in the Islamic Republic use violence against peaceful protesters.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said, 'If Iran shots and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue. We are locked and loaded and ready to go. Thank you for your attention to this matter!'

This comes as people in Iran continue to protest against rising prices and economic hardship, pouring into the streets across several provinces in Iran, with some protests escalating into fatal confrontations with security forces, CNN reported.

Protesters reportedly clashed with police, hurled stones at officers and torched vehicles.

This rhetoric by the MAGA crowd has intensified after the US launched a 'large-scale strike' in the Venezuelan capital of Caracas on Saturday and captured its President Nicolas Maduro, and his wife, Cilia Flores.

Maduro and Flores were flown out of the country in a joint operation involving intelligence agencies and US law enforcement. They were indicted on charges of alleged 'drug trafficking and narco-terrorism conspiracies' in the Southern District of New York and are currently facing trial.

Following their capture, Delcy Rodriguez, the Vice President of Venezuela under Maduro, officially assumed the role of the country's acting president.

Graham has also issued a warning to the Cuban leadership, stating 'help is on the way' to the people there, after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed his concern over the Latin American country following the capture of Maduro. (ANI)