IRAN ERUPTS – AT 12:20 P.M. ET:  Mass demonstrations in Iran.  What will Trump do?  From AFP:

The Iranian government warned people against further protests on Saturday after two days of demonstrations sparked by anger over an array of economic problems.

"We urge all those who receive these calls to protest not to participate in these illegal gatherings as they will create problems for themselves and other citizens," said Interior Minister Abdolrahman Rahmani Fazli.

State news channel IRINN said it had been banned from covering the protests that spread from second city Mashhad on Thursday to hit several towns and cities.

The protests initially targeted economic problems, but quickly turned against the Islamic regime as a whole.

US President Donald Trump warned "the world is watching" after dozens of demonstrators were arrested.

Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi dismissed Trump's comments as "irrelevant" and "opportunistic".

Media coverage inside Iran focused almost exclusively on pro-regime rallies held on Saturday to mark the defeat of the last major protest movement in 2009, which hardliners call "the sedition".

The timing was coincidental, since the rallies are held every year on this day, but offered a handy show of strength to the regime as huge crowds of black-clad supporters gathered across the country.

"The enemy wants once again to create a new plot and use social media and economic issues to foment a new sedition," Ayatollah Mohsen Araki told a crowd in Tehran, according to the conservative Fars news agency.

COMMENT:  When Iranian protests erupted in 2009, it took President Obama about four days to shuffle to a microphone and make some half-hearted statement endorsing freedom.  He did nothing, and the protests were defeated by the hardliners. 

Trump is tweeting.  Thus far that's all he's doing.  If the protests continue, he must do more.  He must show that he's not Obama.  This may be a moment to apply increased and heavy pressure on the Iranian regime.

December 30,  2017