Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Saturday that “rioters must be put in their place,” as protests linked to the collapse of the national currency spread across much of the country.
His remarks came one day after Donald Trump said the United States would “come to their rescue” if Iranian authorities “violently kill peaceful protesters”.
Protesters versus rioters
Speaking to an audience in Tehran in comments broadcast by state television, Khamenei drew a clear distinction between protesters and those he labelled rioters.
“We talk to protesters, the officials must talk to them,” he said. “But there is no benefit to talking to rioters. Rioters must be put in their place.”
Khamenei argued that demonstrations over the sharply falling rial were legitimate expressions of concern, while accusing unnamed groups of exploiting the unrest for violent purposes.
Blaming foreign interference
The 86-year-old leader claimed the protests were being driven by foreign powers, including the United States and Israel, without presenting evidence. He blamed the currency collapse on what he described as “the enemy”.
“Many incited or hired by the enemy are getting behind tradesmen and shopkeepers and chanting slogans against Islam, Iran and the Islamic Republic,” he said.
Fatal incidents reported
State-owned Iran newspaper reported two additional deaths overnight into Saturday. One man was killed in the city of Qom following a grenade explosion. Authorities claimed he was carrying the grenade with the intention of attacking people.
The second death involved a member of the Basij, the volunteer wing of Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, in the western town of Harsin.
Protests spread nationwide
According to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, demonstrations have now spread to more than 100 locations across 22 of Iran’s 31 provinces.
Iran has experienced repeated waves of deadly unrest in recent years. In 2019, protests over fuel price hikes left around 300 people dead. In 2022, demonstrations following the death of Mahsa Amini resulted in more than 500 deaths and the detention of over 22,000 people.
The latest unrest comes amid mounting economic pressure and renewed international scrutiny, as tensions between Tehran and Washington escalate once again.
Source: Euronews