Alexandar Sullivan:
Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, publicly acknowledged for the first time that thousands of Iranians were killed during weeks of nationwide protests, placing blame squarely on Donald Trump, whom he labeled a “criminal” for backing demonstrators.
In a Saturday address broadcast by state media, Khamenei said the unrest, which erupted in late December amid economic hardship and currency collapse, resulted in widespread bloodshed and destruction. He accused the United States and Israel of orchestrating the protests, claiming Trump had “openly encouraged” demonstrators by promising military support. “The U.S. president is responsible both for the casualties and the damage,” Khamenei said.
Khamenei did not address allegations of excessive force by Iran’s security services. Witnesses and rights organizations have described troops firing on unarmed crowds from rooftops and deploying drones. The Human Rights Activists News Agency estimates that more than 3,000 people were killed and over 24,000 arrested, figures that remain impossible to independently verify due to a sweeping internet blackout imposed on January 8.
Trump responded swiftly, calling Khamenei a “sick man” and accusing Iran’s leadership of killing citizens “by the thousands” to retain power. Iranian officials, including Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, have disputed the death toll, claiming casualties numbered in the hundreds.
Khamenei acknowledged Iran’s “truly difficult” economic situation but urged unity in defense of the Islamic system, declaring the protests extinguished. Meanwhile, fears persist over the fate of detained protesters, as Iranian prosecutors warned some could face the death penalty, deepening anxiety among families and human rights advocates both inside and outside Iran.
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