Khamenei Calls Trump a 'Criminal' and Threatens to Punish Protesters

The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has publicly declared for the first time that "several thousand" people have lost their lives, blaming the protesters and the U.S. government for incidents, according to the Associated Press.

In a speech broadcast on Iranian state television, Khamenei stated that U.S. President Donald Trump is a "criminal" responsible for the "loss of lives, damage, and slander against the Iranian people." Khamenei further asserted that Trump has incited the protesters, even promising them military support.

Khamenei also announced that the protesters were armed with military weapons that he claimed came from abroad. He did not specify which country they were said to have come from.

Furthermore, the Supreme Leader emphasized that authorities intend to hold accountable both the protesters and those allegedly involved in organizing them. "We are not leading the country into war. But we will not free internal criminals. Worse yet, there are international criminals. We will not let them go either," Khamenei said.