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working toward a healthy, resilient, secure world for all. On the web at theshmit.org.

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Janine Herbst. Leaders in Iran are warning of a harsh response if the U.S. and Israel attack over the protests

that have engulfed the country over the past two weeks.

Iranian security forces are cracking down, and human rights groups say more than 500 people

have been killed, thousands detained.

And peers Jackie Northam has more.

Iran's parliament speaker said Tehran would consider U.S. military facilities and Israel

legitimate targets for preemptive strikes if there are signs by either country of an imminent

attack. Iran's military was badly weakened after the 12-day war with Israel last June.

President Trump has warned the U.S.

will hit hard if Iran kills protesters. He reiterated that in a social media post-S.

Saturday evening, saying the U.S. stands ready to help. The protests that began at the end of

December over the economy have quickly spread to all corners of Iran, with people shouting death to the dictator,

meaning supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Hamini. Jackie Northam, NPR News.

The European Union's top defense official says it's time for the bloc to set up its own security

council amid the uncertainty of Europe's relationship with the U.S.

Terry Schultz has more.

EU Defense Commissioner Andreas Kubilius says Europe is under pressure.

Mentioning the new U.S. security strategy, which de-emphasizes the transatlantic relationship,

President Trump's intervention in Venezuela and his intention to take over Greenland.

The Times of Pax Americana is over.

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