Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei addressed the public as protests across the country intensified sharply. In his remarks, Khamenei took aim at United States President Donald Trump, describing him as “arrogant” and alleging that his hands were “stained with the blood of” Iranians.
Khamenei further claimed that the US President would be “overthrown”, urging Trump to focus instead on problems within his own country.
He also accused demonstrators of acting in the interests of foreign powers, saying protesters were “ruining their own streets to make the President of another country happy”.
Trump Warns Iran Over Crackdown
Trump had earlier issued a warning to the Iranian leadership over its handling of the protests. “Iran has been told very strongly, even more strongly than I’m speaking to you right now, that if they do that, they’re going to have to pay hell,” Trump said, referring to any violent crackdown on demonstrators.
The US President also claimed that Khamenei was “looking to go somewhere” and said the situation in Iran was “getting very bad”.
Protests Spread Nationwide
The protests, which began over economic grievances, have evolved into a nationwide movement against the deteriorating economy and the weakening Iranian rial.
Thursday marked what has been described as the largest anti-government demonstration so far, following nearly two weeks of unrest. Protests continued into Friday, spreading across both major cities and rural towns throughout the country.
Markets and bazaars were shut in several areas in solidarity with protesters.
Deaths And Detentions Mount
Violence linked to the unrest has resulted in the deaths of at least 42 people, according to the Associated Press. More than 2,270 individuals have been detained in connection with the protests, according to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency.
The demonstrations began on December 28 with a shutdown of Tehran’s Grand Bazaar and have since spread to all of Iran’s 31 provinces.
Internet Shutdown And Official Response
Iran’s government has imposed a nationwide internet shutdown and cut off international phone calls, AP reported. This came as protesters responded to calls from exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, who urged people to shout from their windows and take to the streets.
“What turned the tide of the protests was former Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi’s calls for Iranians to take to the streets at 8 p.m. on Thursday and Friday,” Holly Dagres, senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, told AP.
Iranian state media has blamed “terrorist agents” of the United States and Israel for instigating the violence. According to AP, state television said that “people’s private cars, motorcycles, public places such as the metro, fire trucks and buses (were) set on fire”, adding that there had been “casualties”.
Unverified Videos And Information Blackout
Unconfirmed videos circulating online showed protesters chanting slogans against the government around bonfires. HT.com said it had not independently verified the authenticity of these videos.
The full scale of the unrest remains unclear due to the communications blackout. “This is exactly why the internet was shut down: to prevent the world from seeing the protests,” Dagres told AP, adding that the blackout could provide “cover for security forces to kill protesters”.
Fresh US Warning
Trump reiterated his warning on Thursday, saying the United States would take strong action if Iran kills protesters. “Iran has been told very strongly, even more strongly than I’m speaking to you right now, that if they do that, they’re going to have to pay hell,” he said, according to AP.
