Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, in a January 9 national address, branded protesters 'vandals' and 'saboteurs' seeking to please U.S. President Donald Trump—as demonstrations sparked by economic crisis on December 28 spread to over 50 cities under a near-total internet blackout, with rights groups reporting at least 51 deaths including nine children. Trump warned of severe consequences, while European leaders and the UN condemned the crackdown.
Protests that began in Tehran on December 28, 2025, over soaring living costs have escalated into widespread anti-regime unrest across 25 of Iran's 31 provinces.
Following a nationwide internet shutdown that reduced connectivity to 1%—as previously reported—Khamenei took to state TV on Friday, accusing the 'arrogant' Trump of having 'hands stained with the blood of Iranians' and likening him to historical tyrants like the pharaoh. He urged national unity and affirmed the Islamic Republic would not yield.
Trump responded that 'Iran has big problems' and threatened to 'hit very hard' if protesters were killed, eschewing ground troops. Exiled Reza Pahlavi, son of the last shah, appealed for U.S. intervention to back the demonstrators.
Casualty figures vary: Iran Human Rights reports 51 killed (including nine children) and hundreds injured, while earlier tallies from HRANA cited 62 dead and over 2,300 detained.
French President Emmanuel Macron, UK Labour leader Keir Starmer, and German opposition head Friedrich Merz jointly condemned the 'murder of protesters' and urged restraint. UN human rights chief Volker Türk called for an independent investigation. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi countered by accusing the U.S. and Israel of direct interference.
Videos smuggled out show crowds in Tehran (Sadatabad), Mashhad, Tabriz, and Qom chanting 'Death to Khamenei' and invoking the shah's return. Underlying the unrest: rampant inflation, rial devaluation, and projected recessions in 2025–2026.