By: The Trek News Desk
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has issued his first public response to the nationwide protests gripping the country, taking a hardline stance by saying that “rioters must be put in their place.” His remarks come amid reports from human rights groups that at least 15 people have been killed in violence linked to demonstrations triggered by Iran’s worsening economic conditions.
The statement from the 86-year-old leader is widely seen as a signal to security forces to take tougher action. The protests, now entering their second week, have been driven by the sharp fall of the Iranian rial, rising inflation and growing public anger over economic hardship. There are currently no clear signs that the unrest is easing.
Addressing an audience in Tehran, Khamenei attempted to draw a distinction between citizens protesting economic problems and what he described as “rioters.” He said government officials should listen to those suffering from financial difficulties, but insisted that engaging with “rioters” was pointless. Once again, without providing evidence, he blamed foreign powers such as the United States and Israel for fuelling the unrest, describing Iran’s economic crisis as the result of “enemy plots.”
Khamenei further alleged that individuals encouraged by hostile forces were hiding behind shopkeepers and traders while chanting slogans against Islam, Iran and the Islamic Republic.
Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guard Corps, which answers directly to the Supreme Leader, along with its volunteer wing, the Basij, has previously played a key role in crushing protests, including the 2009 Green Movement and the 2022 demonstrations. Analysts believe hardline factions are pushing for a more forceful crackdown, even as President Masoud Pezeshkian is reported to be seeking dialogue to calm tensions.
Deadly security operations have often followed Past protests in Iran. Demonstrations over fuel price hikes in 2019 reportedly resulted in hundreds of deaths, while the 2022 protests sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini led to more than 500 fatalities and thousands of arrests.
Fresh violence was reported overnight into Saturday. In the religious city of Qom, a grenade explosion killed one man. The media reports quoted security officials as claiming the individual was carrying the grenade with the intention of carrying out an attack. In western Iran, in the town of Harsin, a member of the Basij was killed in an assault involving gunfire and knives.
According to the reports, protests have spread to more than 170 locations across 25 of Iran’s 31 provinces. The group says at least 15 people have been killed so far and more than 580 have been arrested.
While state and semi-official media have acknowledged violence in some areas, they have released limited details. Kurdish human rights organisations and the Oslo-based Iran Human Rights group have accused security forces of opening fire on demonstrators, leading to multiple deaths. Pro-government outlets have alleged that protesters were armed, but no concrete evidence has been presented to support these claims.
The unrest is unfolding against a tense international backdrop. Comments by US President Donald Trump, warning that Washington could intervene if peaceful protesters are violently suppressed, have further heightened tensions and drawn sharp reactions from Tehran. Observers say that although the protests appear largely spontaneous and lack organised leadership, Iran’s extensive security apparatus gives the authorities significant capacity to contain the movement, even as economic pressures continue to mount.
Source: News Agencies
