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Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on Saturday accused U.S. President Donald Trump of being a “criminal,” blaming Washington for casualties, destruction and what he described as false accusations against Iran, as unrest and security measures intensified nationwide.
“We consider the U.S. president a criminal for the casualties, damages, and the slander he inflicted on the Iranian nation,” Khamenei said in remarks reported by Iranian media.
He described the recent protests as part of an American plot, saying the United States’ goal was to “devour Iran.”
In recent posts on X, he said the unrest was an “American sedition” aimed at “swallowing Iran,” adding that while Iran would not lead the country into war, it would not allow what he called domestic and international “criminals of the American sedition” to go unpunished, and that Iran had already broken the back of the sedition and must also defeat those behind it.
According to Iran International, new information suggests that the IRGC Quds Force and allied proxy forces played a central role in the killing of protesters.
The outlet said at least 12,000 people were killed over two nights on Jan. 8 and 9, citing official sources and medical data it reviewed.
Iran’s exiled prince, Reza Pahlavi, called on people inside Iran to raise their voices in anger and protest by chanting national slogans every night from Saturday through Monday at 8 p.m. local time.
Eyewitnesses said Iranian authorities have significantly expanded the deployment of security forces across multiple cities, tightening control measures aimed at preventing further demonstrations.
Security presence was reported to have increased sharply as authorities sought to suppress renewed protests following days of unrest.
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