New Delhi, Jan. 9 -- Iran's army chief threatened preemptive military action Wednesday over the "rhetoric" targeting the Islamic Republic, likely referring to U.S. President Donald Trump's warning that if Tehran "violently kills peaceful protesters," the United States "will come to their rescue."

The comments by Maj. Gen. Amir Hatami come as Iran tries to respond to what it sees as a dual threat posed by Israel and the United States, as well as the protests sparked by its economic woes that have grown into a direct challenge to its theocracy.

Seeking to halt the anger, Iran's government began Wednesday paying the equivalent of $7 a month to subsidize rising costs for dinner table essentials like rice, meat and pastas. Shopkeepers warn p...