Khamenei Blames US, Trump for Protester Deaths Amidst Widespread Iranian Unrest

Supreme Leader Accuses US of Incitement

Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has publicly accused the United States and former President Donald Trump of orchestrating and inciting the recent wave of protests that have swept across the Islamic Republic. In a speech delivered on Saturday, January 17, 2026, Khamenei stated that 'several thousand' people had been killed during the unrest, with some deaths occurring in an 'inhuman, savage manner.' He labeled Trump a 'criminal' for his alleged role in supporting the demonstrations and for the 'casualties, damages, and slander he inflicted on the Iranian nation.'

Khamenei asserted that the recent unrest was an 'American conspiracy' with the ultimate goal of 'swallowing Iran' and re-establishing 'military, political and economic domination' over the country. He further claimed that 'those linked to Israel and the US caused massive damage and killed several thousand,' alleging they started fires, destroyed public property, and incited chaos.

Protests and Crackdown

The protests reportedly began on December 28, 2025, initially sparked by economic hardship, but quickly escalated into widespread demonstrations calling for an end to clerical rule in the Islamic Republic.

• The demonstrations raged for more than two weeks.
• Authorities responded with a brutal crackdown, including a near-total internet shutdown, making it difficult to verify information from within the country.
• The Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), a US-based group, reported verifying 3,090 deaths, including 2,885 protesters, and over 22,000 arrests.
• Other reports from sources inside Iran, including doctors, suggested the death toll could be significantly higher, with some estimates ranging from 12,000 to 20,000 feared killed, and doctors claiming 16,500 killed and 330,000 injured.
• Iranian authorities have described protesters as 'vandals' and 'terrorists,' accusing them of being armed with live ammunition imported from abroad.

International Reactions and Accusations

Former US President Donald Trump had previously issued warnings to Iran, threatening 'very strong action' if the killing of demonstrators continued or if Iranian authorities executed detained protesters. However, he later thanked Tehran's leaders in a social media post, stating they had called off mass hangings, a claim Iran denied, saying there was 'no plan to hang people.'

In response to Khamenei's accusations, Trump, in an interview, called for 'new leadership in Iran' and criticized Khamenei's nearly 40-year reign, stating, 'The man is a sick man who should run his country properly and stop killing people.'

Aftermath and Ongoing Tensions

Following the intense period of unrest, a 'cautious calm' has reportedly settled over Iran's major cities, though the silence is described as heavy with grief and the shadow of state retribution. Iranian authorities have stated that the 'sedition' incited by the US and Israel has been defeated. The prosecutor general warned that detainees would face severe punishment, with some charges, such as 'mohareb' (waging war against God), being punishable by death under Iranian law.