Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, publicly condemned U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday, labeling him a “criminal” for his support of demonstrators protesting in Iran. Khamenei’s remarks came during a televised speech where he accused the protests, which began on December 28, 2022, of resulting in “several thousand” deaths, marking the first acknowledgment from Iranian leadership regarding the significant casualties linked to the unrest.
In his address, Khamenei criticized Trump for encouraging protesters, asserting that the U.S. President had openly supported what he described as “seditious people.” He claimed that the demonstrations had led to extensive destruction, including damage to mosques and educational institutions. “Through hurting people, they killed several thousand of them,” Khamenei stated, reinforcing his view that the protesters were acting as “foot soldiers” for U.S. interests.
In a contrasting response, Trump described Khamenei as “a sick man” who fails to lead Iran effectively and contributes to the suffering of its citizens. He declared, “It’s time to look for new leadership in Iran,” during an interview with Politico, calling for an end to Khamenei’s nearly 40-year reign.
While Trump previously expressed a conciliatory tone, mentioning that Iran had “canceled the hanging of over 800 people,” he did not provide details on how he obtained this information. The Iranian government, represented by Tehran Prosecutor General Ali Salehi, dismissed Trump’s comments, asserting that he frequently makes “futile and irrelevant statements.” Salehi emphasized the government’s intention to respond swiftly and severely to the protests without elaborating on specific actions.
Khamenei’s speech suggested that the protests had been fueled by external forces, claiming that rioters were armed with imported ammunition. He reaffirmed Iran’s stance against any form of war while vowing to hold accountable both domestic and international offenders. “We do not release domestic offenders; there are international offenders. We do not let them alone either,” he insisted, directing officials to pursue these cases.
The protests erupted over Iran’s struggling economy, and the subsequent crackdown has resulted in at least 3,095 deaths, according to the Human Rights Activists News Agency, making it the deadliest wave of unrest in decades. The agency, which relies on a network of activists within Iran, has consistently reported accurate figures on fatalities during protests. Meanwhile, Iranian officials have accused the U.S. and Israel of inciting disorder within the country.
In recent days, the streets of Tehran have returned to a semblance of normalcy, with shopping and daily life resuming. Iranian state media have not reported any new instances of unrest. A temporary internet blackout was imposed on January 8, but reports emerged on Saturday that text messaging services and limited internet access had been restored in parts of Iran. Users were able to access local websites and, in some cases, international sites through virtual private networks (VPNs).
Despite calls from exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi for renewed protests over the weekend, there was no significant response from demonstrators by Saturday afternoon. Pahlavi, whose father was overthrown in the 1979 Islamic Revolution, remains a controversial figure, gaining support primarily from monarchists abroad but struggling to resonate with a broader Iranian audience.
As tensions persist, the Iranian government continues to grapple with the aftermath of the protests, while the international community closely monitors the situation for potential implications on regional stability.
