Iran's Supreme Leader Acknowledges ‘Several Thousand' Deaths, Blames US

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has, for the first time, publicly acknowledged that thousands of people were killed during recent nationwide protests in the country, an unusual admission from Iran’s top leadership amid a harsh crackdown that has drawn global attention.

In a televised address on Saturday, Khamenei said the unrest, which began in late December, led to the deaths of “several thousand” people. The protests initially erupted over rising prices, inflation, and economic hardship, but later grew into wider demonstrations against the government.

While admitting the scale of casualties, Khamenei stopped short of blaming Iranian security forces. Instead, he accused the United States and foreign powers of instigating the protests, describing the violence as the result of “inhuman and savage” actions encouraged from outside Iran.

Khamenei directly targeted US President Donald Trump, accusing him of encouraging the demonstrations and interfering in Iran’s internal affairs. Calling Trump a “criminal,” Khamenei claimed protesters were manipulated by foreign forces and warned that those he described as “criminals” would not be spared punishment.

Reacting to Khamenei’s remarks, Donald Trump escalated his criticism, saying it was “time to look for new leadership” in Iran. In an interview with Politico, Trump accused the Iranian leadership of destroying the country and using excessive violence against its own people.

“What he is guilty of, as the leader of a country, is the complete destruction of the country and the use of violence at levels never seen before,” Trump said. “Leadership is about respect, not fear and death.”

Trump further described Khamenei as unfit to lead and blamed Iran’s poor living conditions on what he called “bad leadership.”

Khamenei continued to blame the United States in a post on X, claiming the protests were “planned and carried out” by Washington. “The US’s goal is to devour Iran,” he wrote.

Despite the sharp exchange between Tehran and Washington, daily life in Tehran and other major cities has begun returning to normal, following weeks of protests, security operations, and unrest.

Also Read: Iran Protests Claim Over 500 Lives; US Weighs Military Options