Iran’s top leader Scoffs at Trump Threats: Mind Your Own Nation

Iran’s top authority, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, delivered a combative speech Friday in the holy city of Qom amid escalating nationwide demonstrations and mounting pressure from Washington. Khamenei said Iran would stand firm against both domestic unrest and warnings from President Trump about possible U.S. responses.

Khamenei dismissed many protesters as “vandals” and “saboteurs” seeking to “please” the president of the United States. He urged Iranians to resist what he described as foreign interference and warned that arrogant leaders throughout history have often been overthrown at the height of their power. He also told President Trump to focus on problems inside the United States rather than Iran.

The protests — among the largest Iran has seen in years — have spread from Tehran to dozens of other cities. They initially erupted over a collapsing currency, rising prices, and deepening economic hardship, but have increasingly taken on a political tone. Some demonstrators have called for an end to clerical rule and voiced support for Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran’s former shah.

Human rights groups report that the government has responded forcefully, with more than 2,000 people detained and at least 36 killed as security forces move to suppress the unrest. Iranian officials have publicly acknowledged economic grievances while deploying police and other security units to regain control of the streets.

Speaking on Fox News late Thursday, President Trump suggested Iran’s leadership could be nearing collapse and repeated that the United States could intervene if the crackdown becomes more deadly. He said enthusiasm among Iranians to overturn the current regime was “incredible.” His remarks came after a recent U.S. operation in Caracas that resulted in the seizure of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, raising concerns in Tehran about how far Washington might be willing to go.

Despite Khamenei’s defiant tone, analysts say the supreme leader’s rhetoric is unlikely to ease the frustration of Iranians struggling with daily economic survival. Iranian women, who have played a visible role in recent demonstrations, continue to push back against the government’s authority in their own ways.

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