Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Friday that the government would “not back down” in the face of growing protests, after the biggest demonstrations yet in a nearly two-week movement driven by anger over rising living costs.
Late on Thursday, crowds marched through major cities chanting “death to the dictator” and setting fire to several official buildings. Internet monitor Netblocks said authorities-imposed a near-total communications blackout, leaving the country offline for around 12 hours in what it called an attempt to suppress the protests.
In his first public remarks since the unrest began on January 3, Khamenei described the protesters as “vandals” and “saboteurs” in a speech broadcast on state television. He accused the United States of stirring unrest and said the Islamic Republic, which came to power in 1979, would not retreat under pressure.
Videos verified by AFP showed large crowds on Tehran’s Ayatollah Kashani Boulevard, as well as protests in Tabriz, Mashhad, Kermanshah and Isfahan. Some footage showed fires at state buildings, though not all images could be independently confirmed.
US President Donald Trump warned Tehran against using lethal force, saying Washington was “ready to act” if protesters were killed. Meanwhile, exiled opposition figure Reza Pahlavi called for even larger demonstrations on Friday, saying mass turnout weakens the state’s ability to suppress dissent.
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