Iranian supreme leader admits thousands killed during protests and blames Trump
Iran’s supreme leader acknowledges deaths during protests
- Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has for the first time acknowledged the deaths of "several thousand" people during widespread protests that began in December.
- The protests, initially sparked by economic hardship, escalated into large demonstrations against Iran’s clerical rulers.
- Khamenei accused Donald Trump, Israel, and the US of orchestrating the violence and being responsible for the casualties and damage.
- Human rights groups, such as HRANA, have reported over 3,000 deaths, including 2,885 protesters, and more than 22,000 arrests.
- Despite Tehran denying plans for executions, Iran's prosecutor general warned of severe punishment for detainees, including alleged "ringleaders" accused of inciting unrest.