Tehran, Iran – In a strongly worded and escalating speech, Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei declared on Friday that the regime “will not back down” in the face of the massive protests sweeping the country. He described the demonstrators as “saboteurs” and agitators working for foreign agendas, specifically to appease US President Donald Trump.
Street challenge: “We stayed to stay”
Khamenei’s speech (his second since the outbreak of the new round of protests) comes after the largest night of demonstrations on the ground. Iranian cities witnessed an unprecedented “uprising” in response to political calls, including one from Prince Reza Pahlavi.
The most important points in the Supreme Leader’s speech
Khatami asserted that “the Islamic Republic will not back down in the face of these saboteurs,” deeming the targeting of government buildings an act of aggression aimed at harming the country. The Iranian Supreme Leader described the US president as “arrogant” and accused him of having “blood on his hands” from the recent 12-day war with Israel.
A historic warning: Trump was likened to “Pharaoh, Nimrod, and Reza Khan,” with the assertion that he too would be overthrown, just as they were, without clarifying the legal or political basis for this prediction regarding the head of a foreign state.
Thursday night: A field earthquake and digital silence
The night of January 8th witnessed a radical shift in the course of the protests, which began with economic demands in Tehran’s bazaar and Kurdish regions, transforming into direct political slogans calling for “Death to the Dictator.” For the first time, the protests spread to small towns and villages, in addition to major cities and the capital. Videos documented violent clashes and attacks on police and Basij bases, as well as provincial centers. At 2:15 AM Tehran time, the authorities completely cut off internet and international communications, a situation that continues at the time of writing.
Official acknowledgment of casualties
In a rare move, the Iranian news agency IRNA confirmed fatalities on both sides, reporting that “a number” of protesters and “a number” of government and security officials were killed during clashes on Thursday night.
