Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has for the first time publicly acknowledged that thousands of people have been killed during the country’s ongoing anti-government protests, describing some of the deaths as occurring in an “inhuman, savage manner.” The rare admission came during a nationally televised speech on Thursday, marking a significant shift from previous official statements that had downplayed the toll.
In his address, Khamenei blamed the United States for the scale of the violence and sharply attacked US President Donald Trump. Accusing Washington of orchestrating unrest inside Iran, he held Trump personally responsible for what he described as deaths, destruction, and false accusations against the Iranian people. “We consider the US President a criminal, both for the casualties and damage, and for the slander he has levelled against the Iranian nation,” Khamenei said, alleging that the US sought Iran’s military, political, and economic domination.
Calls For Harsh Punishment Of Protesters
Khamenei also called for the strict punishment of protesters, repeatedly referring to them as “seditionists” and “rioters.” “By God’s grace, the Iranian nation must break the back of the seditionists just as it broke the back of the sedition,” he declared, signalling continued support for an uncompromising crackdown by state forces.
Authorities Claim Foreign Sabotage
Iranian authorities have intensified efforts to portray the protests as foreign-backed. On Saturday, state media released a compilation of footage that it claimed showed armed individuals carrying guns and knives among demonstrators. Officials said the video was evidence that foreign saboteurs had infiltrated otherwise civilian protests to fuel violence and chaos.
Hardline rhetoric was echoed by senior Iranian cleric Ahmad Khatami, who openly called for the execution of protesters. Describing them as “armed hypocrites” and “butlers” and “soldiers” of Israel and the United States, he demanded the death penalty and warned that neither country should “expect peace.”
Internet Shutdown Deepens Isolation
Amid the unrest, Iranian authorities shut down internet and mobile services nationwide on January 8, cutting off much of the country’s roughly 92 million people from the outside world. Internet monitoring group NetBlocks said access remains at around just 2 per cent of normal levels, despite reports of limited restoration.
Trump has taken a sharply different stance, urging Iranians to continue protesting and calling for new leadership in Tehran. In an interview with Politico, he accused Khamenei of the “complete destruction of the country” and the use of violence “at levels never seen before,” previously labelling the Iranian leader a “sick man” and urging him to stop killing people.
The Iranian government has consistently blamed foreign interference for domestic unrest, a claim it has repeated during previous periods of turmoil.
ALSO READ: Trump Announces 10% Tariffs On Denmark, UK And France After Opposition To US Greenland Takeover Plan