2026-01-03 13:40
publication
2026-01-03 13:40
Iran's supreme spiritual and political leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said on Saturday that the perpetrators of the ongoing unrest in the country must be “brought to justice,” the AP reported. Two more people died during the clashes during the night.
– We are talking to protesters, officials must talk to them, Khamenei said in a speech in Tehran, broadcast by Iranian state television. – But talking to the perpetrators of the riots brings no benefits. They must be brought to justice, he added.
He commented on the anti-price demonstrations that have been going on in Iran since the end of December and in which at least 10 people have lost their lives so far. Two more died on the night from Friday to Saturday – one man in Qom in the north of the country and the other in Harsin in the west. The second belonged to the paramilitary volunteer organization Basij, which supports the government.
On Friday, US President Donald Trump warned that if Tehran “brutally kills peaceful protesters,” the United States will “come to their rescue.” Khamenei argued again on Saturday, without providing evidence, that foreign powers such as Israel and the United States were inspiring the protests in Iran.
Since December 28, there have been protests in Iran caused by the country's economic problems. The demonstrations began with a strike by shop owners who were hit hard by the collapse of the local currency, the rial.
Media reports indicate that security forces used firearms against demonstrators in various cities. At the beginning of the week, President Massoud Pezeszkian announced a dialogue with the protest leaders and admitted that the crisis was caused by the authorities' negligence.
Demonstrations have already reached over 100 locations in 22 of Iran's 31 provinces. They are considered the greatest manifestation of public dissatisfaction since 2022, when the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in custody sparked demonstrations across the country. (PAP)
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