Iran’s Khamenei calls Trump a ‘criminal’, blames US for unrest and casualties

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday launched a sharp attack on the United States and President Donald Trump, calling the US president a “criminal” and accusing Washington of causing deaths, destruction and defaming the Iranian nation.

He alleged that the US was behind the recent unrest in Iran but said the country would not be pushed into a war.

‘US president responsible for casualties’

In remarks carried by Iran International, Khamenei said Iran held the US president responsible for the “casualties, damages and slander” inflicted on the country. He said Iran would show restraint at the state level but would not tolerate those it considers responsible for violence.

“We will not drag the country into war, but we will not allow domestic or international criminals to go unpunished,” Khamenei said.

Protests ‘foreign-backed’, Trump accused of interference

Khamenei described the recent protests as foreign-backed and claimed they were part of an American plot aimed at dominating Iran. He directly accused Trump of intervening in the unrest, alleging that the US president encouraged protesters and made statements offering support.

He also accused US officials of misrepresenting the protests by portraying “vandals” as representatives of the Iranian nation.

‘Instigators will be confronted’

Taking a hard line, Khamenei said the Iranian nation had already defeated the unrest and would also confront those who instigated it, both inside and outside the country.

“The Iranian nation will not let go of the domestic and international criminals behind this unrest,” he said.

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Reports allege role of IRGC-linked forces

Meanwhile, Iran International, a media outlet critical of the Islamic Republic, reported that it had obtained information suggesting that Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Quds Force and allied proxy groups played a central role in the killing of protesters. Iranian authorities have not publicly confirmed or responded to these claims.

The outlet also reported that at least 12,000 people were killed over two nights on January 8 and 9 during the protests, citing official sources and medical data it reviewed. If confirmed, the figures would mark one of the deadliest episodes of unrest in Iran’s recent history, though casualty numbers remain disputed.

Calls for continued protests, security tightened

As tensions persisted, exiled Iranian prince Reza Pahlavi urged people inside Iran to continue protesting, calling for nightly chants across the country at 8 pm local time from Saturday through Monday.

At the same time, eyewitnesses said authorities had expanded the deployment of security forces across several cities, increasing patrols and tightening controls to prevent further demonstrations.

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Over 3,000 killed, rights group says

Rights activists said more than 3,000 people have died in the nationwide protests, which authorities appear to have largely suppressed. The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) said it had verified 3,090 deaths, including 2,885 protesters, while state media reported further arrests.

Iranian authorities have blamed the violence on armed individuals described as rioters posing as protesters, labelling them “terrorists” and accusing Israel and the US of orchestrating the unrest.

Residents in Tehran said the capital had remained relatively calm for four days, with drones seen overhead but no major protests reported. The demonstrations began on December 28 over economic grievances and later escalated into nationwide calls for an end to clerical rule, marking the deadliest unrest since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Opposition groups and an Iranian official have estimated that more than 2,000 people were killed.