Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has accused the United States of orchestrating the wave of large-scale protests sweeping across the country, claiming demonstrators are acting to satisfy the US president. Speaking during a public address, Khamenei said some participants in the unrest were deliberately engaging in acts of destruction to gain Washington’s approval.

“There are also those whose work is destruction,” Khamenei said, according to Iranian state media. He referred to incidents in Tehran and other cities where, he claimed, groups of vandals damaged buildings belonging to Iran itself. He argued such actions were carried out solely to please the US president, whom he accused of making what he described as “irrelevant nonsense” about supporting protesters. Khamenei added that those responsible were placing their hopes in Washington, telling the US leader to focus instead on governing his own country, where, he said, serious problems were unfolding.

The Supreme Leader went on to accuse President Donald Trump of behaving like a despot, warning that history shows such figures are often removed when they appear most powerful. He stressed that Iranian society, in his words, does not tolerate acting as “mercenaries for foreigners,” saying anyone who works on behalf of a foreign power is rejected by the nation.

Referring directly to Trump, Khamenei said the US president should remember the fate of past rulers whom he described as arrogant and oppressive, including figures such as Pharaoh, Nimrod, Reza Khan, and Mohammad Reza Shah. According to Khamenei, these leaders were all overthrown at the height of their confidence, adding that the same fate awaits Trump.

Earlier, President Trump issued a warning to Iran’s authorities, cautioning them against harming protesters amid the ongoing demonstrations. Speaking in an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity, Trump said the United States would respond forcefully if violence were used against civilians. “If they do anything bad to these people, we’re going to hit them very hard,” he said, echoing a message he had already shared on social media.

Trump also commented on the scale of the protests, describing what he called an “incredible” level of enthusiasm aimed at toppling the Iranian leadership. He repeated similar warnings in a separate interview with radio host Hugh Hewitt, again threatening severe consequences if demonstrators were killed. Referring to Iran’s past responses to unrest, Trump said authorities there often resort to lethal force during riots and warned that such actions would trigger a strong US reaction.

Meanwhile, the US-based policy research group Institute for the Study of War reported that protest activity in Iran has surged sharply in both frequency and intensity since January 7. According to the think tank, demonstrations have spread across major urban centers, including Tehran, as well as parts of northwestern Iran.

The institute also said the Iranian authorities have stepped up their response, noting that the government has taken the unusual step of deploying Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps ground forces to suppress protests in at least one province, signaling a significant escalation in the crackdown.

Source: ANI