Supreme leader accuses protesters of acting for Trump
Iranians gather, blocking a street, during a protest in Kermanshah, Iran, on January 8, 2026.
Kamran | Afp | Getty Images
Iran’s supreme leader attacked anti-government protesters on Friday, saying they were “vandals” acting on behalf of US President Donald Trump by destroying public property.
In a nationally televised broadcast, Ali Khamenei warned that Tehran would not tolerate “mercenaries for foreigners,” according to Reuters.
Khamenei said, “The Islamic Republic came to power with the blood of hundreds of thousands of honorable people. It will not step back against vandals.”
His comments came as the country of 92 million people found itself largely cut off from the world on Friday as authorities tried to quell spreading protests by darkening the internet.
The demonstrations, which began in the Tehran market on December 28, were sparked by growing frustrations with the long-running economic crisis, especially the government’s attitude towards the sharp decline in the country’s currency and rising prices.
The scale of the unrest makes it one of the most widespread demonstrations in recent years. Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported that dozens of people were killed and approximately 2,300 people were arrested or detained. HRANA, a US-registered nonprofit organization, relies on its network of activists in Iran for reporting.
Iranian leader Ali Khamenei comments on the recent protests against economic conditions on Iranian State Television in the capital Tehran on January 9, 2026.
Anatolia | Anatolia | Getty Images
The protests also revived concerns about possible American intervention. Trump said last week that if Iran “violently kills peaceful protesters,” the United States would “come to their rescue.”
“We’re locked, loaded and ready to go,” Trump said. he wrote in a post On January 2nd at Truth Social.
Ali Larijani, an advisor to Iran’s supreme leader, reportedly responded at the time by saying that US intervention in protests in Iran was tantamount to chaos in the entire region.
OPEC member Iran is an important player in the global oil market.
Oil prices were last trading higher as energy market participants continued to monitor concerns over disruption in Iran.
International comparison Brent Crude oil contracts for March delivery were traded at $62.52 per barrel, up 0.9% on Friday, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate February futures settled at $58.29, up 0.9% in the session.
— CNBC’s April Roach and Anniek Bao contributed to this report.
