Select Language:
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei criticized U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday, blaming him for the violence and casualties during recent protests in Iran. He stated, “We hold the American president responsible for the deaths, damages, and accusations he has directed at the Iranian people.” Khamenei characterized the unrest as “an American conspiracy,” asserting that the U.S. aims to dominate Iran economically, politically, and militarily, with the goal of reasserting control over the country.
Khamenei emphasized the need to suppress the so-called “seditionists” who fomented unrest, warning that “we do not intend to lead the country into war, but we will not spare domestic criminals… or international criminals either.” He urged the Iranian people to “break the back of the seditionists,” echoing the language used during past efforts to quell dissent.
According to human rights groups, over 3,000 people have lost their lives in Iran’s nationwide protests, which began on December 28 over economic struggles and quickly expanded into mass demonstrations demanding the end of clerical rule. The protests culminated in significant violence last week, but tensions have decreased in recent days, especially in Tehran, where residents report a comparatively calm atmosphere despite drone activity overhead.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held a phone call with Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, where they discussed regional stability. Dar expressed optimism for peace, and both officials agreed to continue consultations on shared interests.
President Donald Trump publicly commended Iran for canceling what he called “hundreds of planned executions” of protesters following the crackdown on demonstrations. He noted on social media that the mass hangings—initially scheduled to include over 800 individuals—had been called off, and he praised Tehran’s decision. Trump, who had previously threatened strong action over Iran’s handling of protests, expressed respect for Iran’s leadership’s decision to halt the hangings, stating, “Thank you!”
—
ChatGPT
Perplexity
Gemini AI
Grok AI
