WASHINGTON (TNND) — Iran’s supreme leader is blaming President Trump for deadly nationwide protests that have shaken the Islamic Republic, escalating already high tensions as the United States weighs its next move in the region.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei acknowledged over the weekend that thousands of people were killed during the unrest, which erupted amid widespread anger over Iran’s failing economy and soaring inflation. In remarks and social media posts, Khamenei accused President Trump of directly fueling the demonstrations by publicly supporting protesters and calling for new leadership in Tehran.
Iran accuses President Trump of fueling protests amid rising death toll{ }
“In this revolt the U.S. president intervened directly,” Khamenei said Saturday. In a post on X, the Iranian leader wrote that the United States president was “guilty due to the casualties, damages and slander he inflicted upon the Iranian nation.”
President Trump rejected the accusation, telling Politico it was “time to look for new leadership in Iran,” a comment that further inflamed rhetoric from Tehran.
Iran’s president warned Sunday that any threat to the supreme leader would be treated as an act of war. “Any aggression against the Supreme Leader of our country is tantamount to all-out war against the Iranian nation,” he wrote on X.
The sharp exchanges come as international pressure mounts over Iran’s handling of the protests. On Monday, the World Economic Forum disinvited Iran’s foreign minister from this year’s Davos summit following backlash over what rights groups describe as a brutal crackdown on demonstrators.
The death toll remains contested. An Iranian official told Reuters that verified deaths have reached at least 5,000. However, a network of Iranian doctors claims the number of people killed has surpassed 16,500, with more than 330,000 injured. Independent verification has been difficult amid a sweeping internet blackout imposed by Iranian authorities.
Despite the blackout, Iranian state television channels were hacked Sunday, briefly airing footage of protests and a message from Iran’s exiled crown prince, Reza Pahlavi. In the broadcast, Pahlavi urged Iranians to continue demonstrating and called on the military to side with protesters against the ruling regime.
U.S. officials say President Trump has so far held off on ordering military strikes against Iran, but the option has not been ruled out. The Pentagon has been moving additional military assets into the Middle East, signaling Washington’s readiness as the crisis deepens.
Officials say another decision point could come within weeks, as the administration weighs diplomatic pressure, economic measures, and potential military action amid rapidly evolving conditions inside Iran.
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