Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei admits thousands were killed in protests and directly blames the United States and Israel

18 January 2026 , 07:38

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Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei admits thousands were killed in protests and directly blames the United States and Israel

Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei has acknowledged for the first time that thousands of people were killed during recent anti-government protests, while blaming the United States and Israel for what he described as “inhuman and savage” violence.

Speaking on Saturday, Khamenei accused Washington and Tel Aviv of orchestrating the unrest and claimed US president Donald Trump was personally responsible for the casualties and destruction. State media quoted him as saying that those linked to the US and Israel caused massive damage and killed several thousand people during the protests.

Khamenei said the latest wave of unrest was unprecedented because, in his words, the US president became directly involved. He warned that those he accused would face consequences, while adding that Iran wanted to avoid a wider war.

The remarks mark the first public admission by Iran’s highest authority that the death toll from the protests runs into the thousands. Demonstrations began on December 28 over economic hardship before evolving into direct challenges to Iran’s political system. The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency has estimated the death toll at 2,797, a figure that continues to rise.

Previously, Khamenei had dismissed protesters as “foreign terrorists” acting on behalf of Trump. In recent days, however, both the intensity of the protests and fears of immediate US military action appeared to subside after Trump said that “help is on its way” for demonstrators.

Diplomatic sources told the Associated Press that senior officials from Egypt, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Qatar had warned Trump that any US military intervention could destabilise the region and damage the global economy. Despite this, the Trump administration has said it would act if Iran carries out executions of detained protesters.

Tensions between Iran and the US were also reflected at the United Nations Security Council, where both sides traded accusations. The US ambassador said Trump had made clear that “all options are on the table” to stop the killing.

Meanwhile, protests linked to events in Iran have spread abroad. In London, several people were arrested following disorder outside the Iranian embassy, where one demonstrator climbed onto the roof, removed a flag and was later detained on suspicion of criminal damage, trespass and assaulting police. Additional arrests were made on suspicion of violent disorder after officers were targeted with missiles.

Sophia Martinez