Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Photo: Collected

PARIS, France, Jan 17, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali 
Khamenei on Saturday said authorities "must break the back of the 
seditionists" and blamed US President Donald Trump for "casualties" after a 
crackdown on a protest wave against the country's clerical authorities.

"We do not intend to lead the country to war, but we will not spare domestic 
criminals," he told supporters during an address marking a religious holiday, 
adding that "international criminals" would also not be spared punishment.

"By God's grace, the Iranian nation must break the back of the seditionists 
just as it broke the back of the sedition."

Iran was rocked by weeks of demonstrations sparked by anger over economic 
hardship that exploded into the biggest protests against the Islamic republic 
in more than three years despite a deadly crackdown rights groups say left 
thousands dead under an internet blackout.

Iranian authorities have blamed the United States for the mass demonstrations 
they have called "riots" and "terrorist" operations.

Khamenei lashed out at Trump, who had threatened military action against Iran 
if protesters were killed, accusing him of being "guilty for the casualties, 
damages and accusations he has levelled against the Iranian nation".

"This was an American conspiracy," he said, adding that "America's goal is to 
swallow Iran... the goal is to put Iran back under military, political and 
economic domination".