ALBAWABA - Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei delivered a sharply worded message to US President Donald Trump on Friday, declaring that Tehran will not back down against what he described as “saboteurs” and “instigators,” as protests continue to spread across the country for a second consecutive week.
In a nationally televised address—his second since the demonstrations erupted—Khamenei accused Trump of bearing responsibility for the deaths of more than a thousand Iranians, an apparent reference to the June conflict in which Israel targeted Iran with US backing. He said Trump would ultimately “fall,” comparing him to the monarchs who ruled Iran before the 1979 Islamic Revolution, and urged the US president to focus instead on America’s internal problems.
Protests Enter Second Week
The unrest began on December 28 in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar, initially driven by the sharp decline of the Iranian rial and worsening economic conditions.Protests have since spread to every one of Iran's 31 provinces, persisting for thirteen days.
Tehran saw throngs of people in various neighborhoods, with videos capturing demonstrators occupying major thoroughfares as drivers honked their horns in solidarity. Comparable scenes were reported in numerous cities throughout the country.
Fires, Confrontations, and the Security Forces
In Isfahan, a significant fire erupted at a building associated with Iran's state broadcaster, billowing thick smoke into the sky. In Mashhad, the nation's second-largest city, footage depicted a government building engulfed in flames during anti-government protests.
Protests in Borujerd centered on economic issues, while in Qazvin, demonstrators set fire to a security post, injuring at least one officer. Clashes broke out in southern Kerman between protesters and security forces, who deployed tear gas to break up the crowds, coinciding with widespread shop closures. Further incidents were reported in Farrokh Shahr and Semnan, where property was set ablaze.
A Signal Beyond the Streets?
Khamenei's comments, which linked internal threats with direct accusations against Washington, have sparked speculation about whether Iran's leadership is laying the groundwork for a more extensive confrontation beyond its borders. As protests escalate domestically and rhetoric intensifies internationally, observers are closely monitoring whether increasing internal pressure could push Tehran toward external conflict—or if the warnings are intended as deterrence rather than a prelude to war.
