Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed that the country “will not yield to the enemy” amid mounting unrest and U.S. threats. His remarks came after U.S. President Donald Trump warned that America was “locked and loaded and ready to go” in response to protests sparked by rising inflation and economic hardship in Iran.
Khamenei addressed the unrest in a televised appearance, stating that while authorities would engage with legitimate protesters, “rioters should be put in their place.”
The demonstrations, which began Sunday, have spread across western provinces and other regions, claiming more than 10 lives and resulting in dozens of arrests, according to rights groups. Hengaw, a Kurdish rights organization, reported 133 people detained by Friday, marking a sharp increase in arrests over previous days.
The protests are driven by the collapsing rial currency and ongoing economic difficulties exacerbated by international sanctions.
While authorities have tried to balance dialogue with force, clashes with security forces have been reported, and two members of law enforcement were killed. State media claimed infiltrators were damaging property in the name of protest, while social media reports documented unrest in Tehran and other cities.
Iran is facing its toughest domestic challenge since nationwide demonstrations in late 2022 following the death in custody of Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini. The current unrest coincides with strategic setbacks for Iran in the region, including U.S. and Israeli strikes targeting military sites, which have affected Tehran’s regional influence and nuclear programme.
Khamenei also acknowledged economic grievances, noting that bazaar traders “are right to say they cannot do business in these conditions,” but he emphasized that violent rioters would be confronted. The combination of domestic unrest, a sanctions-hit economy, and external threats from the U.S. places Iran in a period of heightened tension and uncertainty.
