In brief
Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has laid the blame for the recent protests and ensuing violence on the U.S. and its former president, Donald Trump. In his speech, Khamenei acknowledged the loss of life and stated that the unrest was being fueled by external enemies and seditionists. The protests began on December 28, initially addressing economic concerns, but have escalated into broader calls for regime change. The Iranian government has labeled these demonstrations as 'riots' backed by foreign adversaries, while protesters face fierce crackdowns and internet restrictions.
Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has accused the US and Donald Trump of being responsible for casualties, damage and slander in his country during recent protests.In a speech on Saturday, Khamenei acknowledged that thousands of people had been killed during recent unrest, some in an inhuman, savage manner but blamed the deaths on seditionists.The US president has urged Iranian anti-government demonstrators to keep protesting and threatened military intervention if security forces kill them.Protests in Iran have claimed 3,090 lives, according to US-based Iranian Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), in unrest that started over the economy on 28 December.Since then, the protests have turned into calls for the end of the rule of Iran's supreme leader. The Iranian government has called the demonstrations riots backed by Iran's enemies.Protesters have been met with deadly force and there has been a near-total shutdown of the internet and communication services. There have been fewer reports of unrest in recent days but with internet access still restricted, developments on the ground remain unclear.During his speech on Saturday, Khamenei also said Iran considered President Trump to be a criminal and said the US must be held accountable for recent unrest. He also claimed on social media that America's goal is to swallow Iran.Trump has not yet responded to the supreme leader and the BBC has approached the White House for a comment. Donald Trump said on Wednesday he had been told the killing in Iran has stopped, but added that he had not ruled out military action against the country.His comments came after the US and UK both reduced the number of personnel at the Al-Udeid air base in Qatar. Officials told CBS, the BBC's US partner, that a partial American withdrawal was a precautionary measure.
