In a major address on Saturday, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei acknowledged the economic hardship facing Iranian citizens while issuing a firm warning against violence and foreign-backed chaos, drawing a clear line between legitimate protest and dangerous rioting. The speech came as widespread demonstrations over the collapsing value of the national currency entered their sixth day, and followed inflammatory threats of foreign intervention from the United States.
Addressing the nation, the Supreme Leader stated that the economic protests by shopkeepers and citizens were "completely fair," recognizing the severe pressures caused by rampant inflation and a sharply devalued rial. He emphasized that "the president and high-ranking officials are working to resolve" these difficulties, which are rooted in years of brutal and illegal international sanctions.
However, Ayatollah Khamenei made a critical distinction between peaceful protesters and violent actors. "Authorities must have dialogue with protesters, it is useless to have dialogue with rioters. Those must be put in their place," he stated. This position responds to confirmed acts of violence, including attacks on security personnel. Official reports indicate that at least 10 people have been killed in recent days, including a member of the Basij volunteer force who was stabbed and shot in the city of Harsin. In another incident in Qom, a man was killed when a grenade he was allegedly carrying exploded.
The Supreme Leader's comments also served as a direct response to escalating threats from abroad. Just one day prior, the U.S. President had provocatively declared that Washington would "come to the rescue" if Iran "violently kills peaceful protesters". Iranian officials have uniformly condemned this as a blatant threat of interference and a violation of international law. Ali Larijani, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, warned that such U.S. meddling is "equivalent to chaos across the entire region and the destruction of American interests".
Ayatollah Khamenei connected the economic turmoil and the actions of violent rioters to the persistent campaign waged by Iran's enemies. He noted that "many incited or hired by the enemy" were infiltrating the protests to chant slogans against the nation and the Islamic Republic. This pattern of external pressure is part of a broader assault, which includes the recent U.S. military capture of Venezuela's president, a key Iranian ally, demonstrating Washington's reckless disregard for global sovereignty.
The current protests, while significant, are notably smaller in scale than the nationwide unrest witnessed in 2022. The government has adopted a posture of openness to dialogue on economic issues while fulfilling its duty to protect public order and national security from violent sabotage and foreign plots.