Ali Khamenei Admits Thousands Killed in Iran Protests Blames US
Ali Khamenei has publicly acknowledged for the first time that thousands of people were killed during the recent wave of protests across Iran, marking a rare admission by the country’s highest authority.
Ali Khamenei Admits
In a speech carried by Iranian state media on Saturday, Khamenei said that several thousand people had died, “some in an inhuman, savage manner”, and placed responsibility squarely on the United States and Israel. He described the unrest as a foreign backed plot and accused Washington of orchestrating violence against the Iranian population.
Rights groups estimate the death toll at at least 3,090, according to the US based Iranian Human Rights Activists News Agency, while some activist organisations believe the true figure is far higher. Verification has been hampered by a near total internet shutdown, which has left Iran largely cut off from the outside world.
The protests erupted on 28 December, initially driven by anger over the collapsing value of the rial and worsening economic conditions. They quickly evolved into wider demonstrations calling for an end to clerical rule and, in some cases, the removal of the supreme leader himself. Iranian authorities have consistently dismissed the demonstrations as “riots”, claiming they were fuelled by hostile foreign powers.
Videos showing security forces firing live ammunition at crowds have been authenticated by BBC Persian and BBC Verify. Protesters were met with sustained and often lethal force, pushing the unrest into what many observers describe as the deadliest period of internal turmoil since the 1979 revolution.
In his address, Khamenei accused the US president, Donald Trump, of criminal responsibility for the deaths and destruction. “Those linked to Israel and the US caused massive damage and killed several thousand,” he said. “We consider the US president criminal for the casualties, damages and slander he inflicted on the Iranian nation.”
He also warned that Iran viewed Washington’s actions as part of a broader attempt to dominate the country, claiming on social media that “America’s goal is to swallow Iran”. Trump has not responded directly to Khamenei’s remarks, and the White House has been asked for comment.
The US State Department said on Saturday it had received reports suggesting Iran was considering options to target American bases in the region. It warned Tehran that any such move would be met with “a very, very powerful force” and cautioned Iranian leaders not to “play games with President Trump”.
Earlier this week, Trump said he had been told “the killing in Iran has stopped”, though he stressed that military action had not been ruled out. His comments followed a decision by the US and UK to reduce personnel at the Al Udeid air base in Qatar, a move officials described as precautionary.
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Iran has remained under a near total communications blackout. On Saturday, overall internet connectivity was still at roughly 2 percent of normal levels, according to NetBlocks. With access restricted, information about conditions inside the country remains fragmented.
Some residents report a return to relative calm. A woman in the southern city of Shiraz told BBC Persian that security forces continued to patrol on motorbikes, but said daily life had largely resumed. “Overall things have gone back to normal,” she said.
Iranian authorities have signalled that they intend to pursue harsh punishment for those involved in the protests. Senior clerics have publicly called for executions, branding demonstrators as agents of foreign powers. State media has aired footage it claims shows armed individuals among protesters, presented as evidence of outside interference.
Human rights organisations say repression is ongoing. In addition to the thousands killed, more than 22,000 people are believed to have been arrested, raising fears of widespread mistreatment in detention.
While the immediate street protests appear to have subsided, analysts warn the underlying grievances remain unresolved. With Iran still largely offline and its leadership adopting an uncompromising tone, uncertainty hangs over whether the unrest has been crushed or merely forced underground.
