In his speech, the Supreme Leader acknowledged that economic difficulties, particularly the devaluation of the Iranian currency, had created a breeding ground for discontent among street vendors and were the cause of the initial protests. However, he added that social discontent should not be used to incite "political protest" in the interests of Iran's external enemies.
“We must communicate with the protesters; officials are obliged to engage in dialogue with them. But there is no point in talking to the rioters. They need to be put in their place,” said the 86-year-old ayatollah.
Khamenei also noted that external forces, including Israel and the United States, were behind the protests and accused the "enemies" of the decline in the value of the Iranian rial. He claimed that "instigated or hired" individuals were standing behind the protesters and shouting slogans against Islam and the Islamic Republic.
These comments came the day after a warning from U.S. President Donald Trump, who stated that Washington would "come to the aid" if Tehran "harshly dealt with peaceful demonstrators."
According to media reports, as a result of the protests triggered by economic hardships, ten people have already died in Iran. These events have become the largest unrest since 2022, when mass protests occurred following the death of Mahsa Amini.
On Saturday night, two more fatalities were reported. One of the deceased, according to the state newspaper IRAN, was a victim of a grenade explosion in the city of Qom, allegedly intending to attack local residents. The second victim, a member of the "Basij," a volunteer wing of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, was killed in the city of Kharasin.
According to the Human Rights Activists agency, demonstrations have spread to about 100 settlements in 22 out of 31 provinces of Iran.
