The capture of Nicolás Maduro will force officials in Tehran to consider a broader range of risks as Trump threatens to intervene.

At least 16 people have been killed during a week of unrest in Iran, rights groups said on Sunday, as protests over soaring inflation spread across the country, sparking violent clashes between demonstrators and security forces.

Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro's capture deals devastating blow to Iran's Western Hemisphere interests, experts say, weakening Tehran's anti-American alliance in South America.

Officials said that leaders were in survival mode amid anti-government protests and the prospect of again coming into the cross hairs of Israel and the United States.

Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of the last shah of Iran, thanked President Donald Trump for his "support" of Iranian protesters.

Iran protests prompt Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to call demonstrators 'enemy mercenaries' and 'rioters' in first public speech since nationwide unrest began seven days ago.

Galloping inflation and a currency crisis have provoked demonstrations across the country. Protests fueled by deepening economic hardship have swept Iran for more than a week, as soaring inflation has driven frustrated traders and university students into the streets of major cities, including the capital, Tehran.