Sen. Ted Cruz urged the U.S. to arm Iranian protesters as nationwide demonstrations face a harsh security crackdown. A Tehran Bureau source described brutal killings and said activists felt they could not assemble without weapons. Activist groups estimate more than 6,000 deaths amid protests that began in late December over economic and political grievances. Iran-aligned militias have threatened "total war" if the U.S. attacks, while the USS Abraham Lincoln was deployed to the region.
Ted Cruz Calls To Arm Iranian Protesters As Iran-Aligned Militias Threaten 'Total War' — Regional Tensions Surge
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, called for the armament of anti-government protesters in Iran.(Getty Images)
Sen. Ted Cruz on Tuesday urged the United States to provide weapons to demonstrators inside Iran as nationwide unrest continues and Iran-aligned militias issued stark warnings to Washington.
"We should be arming the protesters in Iran. NOW," Cruz wrote on X, adding that "for the Iranian people to overthrow the Ayatollah — a tyrant who routinely chants 'death to America' — would make America much, much safer."
Cruz's post responded to a Tehran Bureau entry citing a source inside Iran who described an intensifying crackdown by security forces. The account recounted brutal violence against demonstrators and warned that civilians felt they had no means to gather or resist without weapons.
"Tell all of your friends [abroad] — everyone you know: there is absolutely nothing else we can do here inside Iran," the Tehran Bureau source said. "Going out into the streets is literally suicide... There is absolutely no way for us to gather unless we had weapons, unless we were armed like them."
Human Rights Activists News Agency and other monitoring groups have cited activist estimates that more than 6,000 people have been killed in the unrest, though those figures remain under review. The protests began in late December amid widespread anger over economic hardship, political repression and corruption.
Militia Threats and Regional Military Moves
As calls to support Iranian protesters gained attention, militias aligned with Tehran warned the U.S. against any attack on Iran. Kataib Hezbollah in Iraq said it was prepared for "total war" if the United States struck the Islamic Republic, and its leader, Abu Hussein al-Hamidawi, vowed severe retaliation, according to The Associated Press.
Kataib Hezbollah in Iraq said it was prepared for "total war" should the U.S. attack Iran.
Yemen's Houthi movement also threatened to resume attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea and released a video showing a burning ship with the caption "Soon," the AP reported.
Amid the threats, the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln arrived in the Middle East as part of a broader American military repositioning. President Donald Trump told Axios that Iran appeared to be seeking negotiations, saying, "They want to make a deal. I know so. They called on numerous occasions. They want to talk."
Fox News Digital reported these developments and said it contacted Sen. Cruz for comment.
Context and Concerns
The unfolding situation combines large-scale domestic protests, allegations of severe human-rights abuses by security forces, explicit warnings from Iran-backed militias, and a growing U.S. military presence in the region. Observers warn that the mix of internal repression and external military posturing raises the risk of broader confrontation.
Human rights groups and international media continue to document alleged abuses and the rising death toll, while policymakers and regional actors weigh how to respond to both the protests and the escalating rhetoric from armed groups.
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