Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has blamed actors linked to the United States and Israel for the deaths of several thousand people amid recent antigovernment protests that shook the country for more than two weeks.
In remarks delivered on Saturday, Khamenei stated that “those linked to Israel and US caused massive damages and killed several thousands” during the unrest. He described the violence as part of a broader international plot against Iran, asserting that the protests, which initially erupted peacefully, were hijacked by elements directed from abroad.
The demonstrations began on December 28, 2025, in several Iranian cities, triggered by rising prices and severe economic hardship. What started as expressions of public discontent over living conditions quickly escalated into widespread clashes, resulting in significant destruction, including the burning of more than 250 mosques and medical facilities, according to Khamenei.
Iranian authorities have maintained that the protests were infiltrated and directed by foreign-backed violent actors, equipped, financed, and trained externally. Khamenei highlighted a deeper level of American involvement compared to previous episodes of unrest, singling out US President Donald Trump as a central figure in the alleged scheme. He labeled Trump a “criminal” and claimed the US president personally engaged in efforts to foment sedition against the Islamic Republic.
The supreme leader also warned that while Iran would avoid dragging the country into war, it would ensure that both domestic and international perpetrators of violence face punishment. He emphasized that the government had initially recognized the legitimacy of some economic grievances but condemned the subsequent chaos and killings attributed to outside interference.
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No independent confirmation of the exact death toll exists due to an eight-day near-total internet blackout imposed by authorities, with SMS services only recently restored nationwide as part of a phased resumption. Iranian officials had previously acknowledged hundreds of deaths, including among security forces. US-based rights group HRANA has reported figures suggesting around 3,000 killed in the protests. Khamenei’s reference to thousands marks the first time a top Iranian authority has publicly cited casualties on that scale.
Authorities arrested approximately 3,000 individuals as the demonstrations subsided. Al Jazeera correspondent Resul Serdar Atas, reporting from Tehran via satellite, noted that Khamenei’s statements largely restated Iran’s longstanding narrative of foreign meddling but introduced a notable escalation in the claimed number of fatalities.
The unrest represents one of the most serious challenges to Iran’s leadership in recent years, unfolding against a backdrop of heightened tensions with Washington and Tel Aviv.
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