Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has issued a forceful directive to authorities to “break the back of the seditionists” following the deadliest civil unrest in over three years. The protests, initially sparked by severe economic distress, escalated into widespread demonstrations against the Islamic Republic that were met with brutal state suppression.
In a televised address on Saturday, Khamenei made what appears to be his first acknowledgment of significant casualties, stating that “agents murdered a few thousand people” with “pure savagery.” This admission comes as independent rights organizations report a verified death toll of 3,428 protesters, with actual numbers potentially reaching several times higher.
The government has implemented severe internet restrictions for over a week, creating an information blackout that has complicated independent verification of casualties and arrests. While authorities claim to have restored calm and made thousands of arrests, rights groups estimate up to 20,000 detentions.
Khamenei directly accused the United States and Israel of orchestrating what he termed an “American conspiracy” to undermine Iranian sovereignty. He specifically targeted former President Trump, holding him “guilty for the casualties” and alleging Washington sought to reestablish “military, political and economic domination” over Iran.
The government narrative characterizes the events as “riots” hijacked by foreign-backed terrorists, while eyewitness accounts describe security forces firing on demonstrators. One witness who fled to Germany reported seeing “thousands of dead bodies” at a Tehran mortuary.
As schools prepare to reopen and limited internet access gradually returns, exiled opposition figures including Reza Pahlavi, son of the deposed shah, have called for renewed protests, though verifiable reports of recent demonstrations remain scarce amid heavy security presence nationwide.