Khamenei attacks Trump: “He is a criminal.” Accusations from Tehran of American conspiracy

Iran's supreme spiritual and political leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, called US President Donald Trump a “criminal”, accusing him of causing casualties, damage and speaking slander against Iranians, Reuters reported on Saturday.

“The latest anti-Iran subversion was different in that the US president was personally involved in it,” Khamenei said. “Individuals linked to the US and Israel led to the death of several thousand people,” added the Iranian leader, quoted by Reuters.

“It was an American conspiracy,” he said, assessing that “America's goal is to swallow Iran and resubmit the country to military, political and economic domination.”

The wave of protests in Iran began on December 28 after a sharp decline in the value of the local currency. Demonstrations – initially related to the economic situation and inflation – spread to all provinces, taking on an anti-government character. They were also aimed at the clerics who have ruled Iran for 45 years. The authorities responded with brutal repression. Thousands of people died: according to HRANA, there were at least 2,435 deaths; other centers estimate that more than 3,000 people died. up to 20 thousand people.

In the wake of the protests, Trump has warned Iranian leaders several times against using force against protesters and suggested that the U.S. might otherwise intervene militarily.

“Iran is looking towards freedom, perhaps like never before. The US is ready to help!” – he wrote earlier in January on the Truth Social platform.

On Wednesday, however, the US president suggested that he may refrain from attacking Iran if the country's authorities refrain from executing anti-government protesters. He emphasized that he had received assurances from the Iranian regime to stop executions and announced that he would monitor the situation. (PAP)

jbw/ sp/