Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has issued a stark warning that any military action targeting Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei would constitute a declaration of “full-scale war against the Iranian nation.” The statement, delivered via social media platform X on Sunday, represents the most direct response yet to provocative comments from former US President Donald Trump, who recently characterized Khamenei as “a sick man” and called for new leadership in Iran during an interview with Politico.
President Pezeshkian directly linked Iran’s economic hardships to “the longstanding enmity and inhumane sanctions imposed by the United States government and its allies.” His warning follows Trump’s claim on Friday that he had received assurances from “very important sources” in Tehran regarding the planned executions of protesters, which reportedly led to a pause in potential US military action.
The escalating diplomatic crisis unfolds against the backdrop of significant civil unrest within Iran. In a rare official acknowledgment, Supreme Leader Khamenei confirmed that “several thousand” people died during recent protests, while simultaneously blaming the United States and President Trump personally for the violence and casualties. Khamenei’s social media account stated unequivocally that Iran holds “the US President guilty due to the casualties, damages and slander he inflicted upon the Iranian nation.”
Despite earlier statements from Iranian officials suggesting executions might not proceed, authorities indicated on Sunday they might still carry out death sentences for detained protesters. An anonymous Iranian official provided a significantly higher death toll than previously acknowledged, confirming at least 5,000 fatalities since anti-government demonstrations began on December 28th. The official attributed these deaths to “terrorists and armed rioters” allegedly supported by “Israel and armed groups abroad.”
Recent developments suggest the government’s severe crackdown, which included a near-total internet blackout beginning January 8th, has substantially quelled the protests. Internet monitoring group NetBlocks reported a “very slight rise in internet connectivity” to approximately 2% of normal levels, with some services gradually being restored. Meanwhile, in a symbolic challenge to authorities, Iranian state television was reportedly hacked on Sunday, broadcasting messages from Reza Pahlavi and showing protest footage that encouraged security forces to support demonstrators.