He noted: "Those who occupy their chairs filled with pride and arrogance must remember that many tyrants, such as Pharaoh, Nimrod, Reza Khan, and Mohammad Reza, fell precisely when they reached the peak of their vanity. Trump will also meet the same fate," adding that the U.S. president is responsible for the deaths of over a thousand Iranians.
Furthermore, Khamenei spoke critically of the protesters, claiming that some of them are willing to harm their country for the approval of Trump. He also dismissed the U.S. president's statements about supporting the protesters in Iran and urged him to focus on the internal problems of his own country.
Khamenei said: "Trump claims that if the Islamic Republic acts in a certain way, he will support the protesters. He should better deal with the affairs of his own country, which already has enough problems."
The protests in Iran began on December 28 and continue to this day. According to media reports, they started at the central bazaar in Tehran, where merchants closed their shops in protest against hyperinflation and sharp price increases. By December 29, the exchange rate of the Iranian rial had fallen to a historic low of about 0.00002 euros per rial.
Earlier, Khamenei emphasized the need for harsh measures against those participating in the unrest. According to the human rights organization IHRNGO, at least 45 people have died in the first 12 days of protests, including eight minors, hundreds have been injured, and more than 2,000 people have been detained since December 28, 2025.
