US-Iran tension escalates, Tehran threatens all out war if Ali Khamenei is targeted

In the charged atmosphere of increasing hostility, Iran has issued a stark warning that any attack on Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will be considered an all-out war against the Iranian nation. President Masoud Pezeshkian, in his post on the X channel, stated that Iran’s “reaction to any unjust attack will be harsh and sad” and emphasized that targeting Khamenei “is equivalent to an all-out war against the Iranian nation.”

These statements came in direct response to US President Donald Trump, who said in an interview with Politico on Saturday that “it is time to look for new leadership in Iran” and has repeatedly threatened possible military intervention if protesters continue to be killed or executed. Trump also posted on social media on Friday, thanking Iranian leaders for stopping the planned executions of 800 prisoners and moving US military assets to the region, but did not specify what concrete steps Washington might take.

The Iranian leadership backed down strongly a day later; Khamenei branded Trump a “criminal” and acknowledged that “several thousand people died”, attributing the violence to US- and Israeli-backed terrorists and rebels.

Protests across the country

The current wave of unrest began in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar last month and was initially fueled by economic woes such as rising costs and inflation. The protests quickly grew into a broader political movement; It spread throughout the country and brought together various segments of society (shop owners, students, men, women and people of various income levels).

Many protesters openly called for an end to religious rule, a recurring theme in Iran’s recent history. The government responded by cutting off internet access and deploying large security forces to the streets, creating a climate of fear and making it difficult for information to flow out of the country. Although the demonstrations diminished in intensity last week following the violent crackdown, reports of deaths, arrests and harassment continued as human rights groups and international media continued to monitor the situation.

Judicial signals and possible executions

On Sunday, Iran’s judiciary indicated that executions related to the unrest could continue. Judiciary spokesman Asghar Jahangir announced that some of the acts were classified as “Mohareb,” an Islamic legal term meaning war against God that carries the death penalty under Iranian law. “A series of actions have been described as Mohareb, which is among the most severe Islamic punishments,” Jahangir was quoted as saying by Reuters. he said.

An Iranian official told Reuters that the confirmed death toll was unlikely to “increase sharply” while repeating accusations that “armed groups in Israel and abroad” were supporting the protesters. Religious circles constantly blamed foreign enemies for the unrest; This is a narrative repeated in state media and official statements.

Internet monitoring group NetBlocks reported that internet access was briefly restored and then cut off again on Saturday, further limiting the flow of information. An Iranian official also noted that the heaviest fighting and highest death toll occurred in the Kurdish regions of northwestern Iran, which have experienced repeated unrest in the past.

Three sources told Reuters earlier this month that armed Kurdish separatist groups were trying to cross into Iran from Iraq, further complicating the situation. Videos circulating online show security forces using force to disperse crowds in multiple cities, underscoring the ongoing instability on the ground.