Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has accused protesters demanding political change in the country of acting on behalf of the United States and US President Donald Trump.
Speaking on national television, Khamenei said that mercenaries of foreign powers were wasting their time in Iran by destroying public property. He declared that the Islamic Republic of Iran was born out of the blood and sacrifices of many great people and would never surrender to such forces. According to him, those involved in the unrest are tools of external enemies seeking to destabilise the country.
The protests erupted amid a severe economic crisis. Inflation in Iran has crossed 40 percent, while the value of the Iranian rial has collapsed to more than 1.4 million against the US dollar in the informal market. Iran’s economy has been devastated by harsh sanctions imposed by the United States and Europe. Oil exports, the country’s primary source of revenue, have been severely restricted, leaving the government struggling to earn foreign exchange.
Trade has been badly affected, with both exports and imports disrupted. Imports have nearly come to a halt, fuelling sharp price rises across the economy. To put the situation in perspective, inflation in India is close to one percent, whereas in Iran it exceeds 40 percent. In India, one US dollar can be bought for around 90.16 rupees, but in Iran, more than 1.4 million rials are needed to obtain a single dollar, rendering the currency almost worthless in practical terms.
As unemployment and economic hardship intensified, public anger spilled onto the streets. What began as economic protests soon evolved into open demands for political change. Many young protesters are calling for Khamenei and the country’s leadership to step down or leave Iran. These demonstrations are taking place in open defiance of the country’s strict laws. In Iran, it is illegal to burn images of the Supreme Leader, and women are prohibited from smoking in public. During the protests, footage went viral of a young woman burning a picture of Khamenei and lighting a cigarette with it. The incident highlighted how opposition to mandatory hijab laws has expanded into broader resistance against the state’s restrictive legal system.
ALL EYES ON IRAN 🦁 pic.twitter.com/eBWlkgSE1S
— Nima Yamini (@NimaYamini) January 11, 2026
There were reports that Khamenei might travel to Russia during the unrest, but Iranian authorities denied these claims. Meanwhile, security forces have been firing on protesters. Unofficial sources claim that more than 200 people have been killed and over 2,000 arrested. The government has also imposed widespread internet shutdowns.
Trump has warned that the US military could intervene if the killing of protesters continues. Some opposition groups are openly demanding US intervention in Iran, drawing parallels with Venezuela. The unrest in Iran, a major member of Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, has also affected global oil markets. Brent crude rose 0.9 percent to $62.52 per barrel, while US WTI crude increased by 0.9 percent to $59.29 per barrel.
Iran has issued a sharp warning to the United States, stating that any military attack will be met with immediate retaliation targeting Israel and US military bases across the region. The warning was delivered by Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, who addressed lawmakers during a special parliamentary session convened on Sunday to discuss the ongoing nationwide protests. Qalibaf said Iran would not hesitate to respond forcefully if provoked, accusing Washington of exploiting internal unrest to destabilise the country. His remarks come amid growing speculation about possible US military action, following repeated warnings from President Donald Trump. Trump, responding to the developments, claimed that Iran is “closer to freedom than ever before,” further inflaming tensions.
The US State Department has sought to project resolve, cautioning that Trump’s statements should be taken seriously. Officials reportedly warned that when the US president signals action, it reflects intent rather than rhetoric, adding to fears of escalation between the two long-standing adversaries. Meanwhile, US-based human rights groups continue to report a worsening crackdown. The Human Rights Activists News Agency has said that more than 2,600 people have been detained so far as security forces intensify efforts to suppress the protests. Despite widespread internet blackouts, images and videos from inside Iran continue to surface through Starlink satellite connections.
Footage from the Punak area in northern Tehran shows peaceful demonstrators gathering on the streets, with some protesters honking car horns in coordinated acts of defiance. Videos from Mashhad, Iran’s second-largest city, depict tense confrontations between protesters and security forces, with authorities blocking roads and demonstrators filming events on their mobile phones. In other clips, debris can be seen set on fire to block traffic. Similar scenes have emerged from Kerman, located southeast of Tehran, indicating the geographical spread of the unrest.
The Iranian government imposed a near-total shutdown of the internet and international phone calls on Thursday. However, access has reportedly been selectively restored for state media and outlets aligned with the government, allowing official narratives to continue while independent reporting remains restricted. As tensions rise, Israel has moved to a heightened state of alert. On Saturday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a phone conversation with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. According to international media reports, the two discussed the possibility of US military intervention in Iran. Analysts warn that any US strike could trigger Iranian retaliation against Israel, raising the risk of a wider regional conflict at a moment when Iran is already facing unprecedented internal unrest and international pressure.
