Iran’s supreme chief acknowledges 1000’s killed throughout current protests

[ad_1] Jack Burgess and

Ghoncheh Habibiazad, BBC Persian

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/c884/live/7349b990-f39a-11f0-9212-79f406d84709.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/c884/live/7349b990-f39a-11f0-9212-79f406d84709.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/c884/live/7349b990-f39a-11f0-9212-79f406d84709.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/c884/live/7349b990-f39a-11f0-9212-79f406d84709.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/c884/live/7349b990-f39a-11f0-9212-79f406d84709.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/c884/live/7349b990-f39a-11f0-9212-79f406d84709.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/c884/live/7349b990-f39a-11f0-9212-79f406d84709.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/c884/live/7349b990-f39a-11f0-9212-79f406d84709.jpg.webp" loading="eager" alt="Iranian leader press office via Getty Images Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei speaks speaks in Tehran on 3 January 2026" class="sc-5340b511-0 hLdNfA"/> Iranian chief press workplace by way of Getty Photos Iran's supreme chief has for the primary time publicly acknowledged that 1000's of individuals have been killed throughout current protests.

In a speech on Saturday, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei mentioned 1000's had been killed, "some in an inhuman, savage method", and blamed the US for the deaths.

A violent response to the unrest has claimed 3,090 lives, in response to US-based Iranian Human Rights Activists Information Company (HRANA), with some activist teams placing the loss of life toll far greater. An web blackout has made it extraordinarily tough to get clear data.

US President Donald Trump just lately urged Iranian demonstrators to "preserve protesting" and threatened navy intervention if safety forces kill them.

"These linked to Israel and the US prompted large injury and killed a number of thousand," Khamenei mentioned, quoted by Iranian state media.

"We contemplate the US president prison for the casualties, damages and slander he inflicted on the Iranian nation."

The protests, which started on 28 December over the financial system, have became requires the tip of the rule of Iran's supreme chief.

The Iranian authorities has referred to as the demonstrations "riots" backed by Iran's enemies.

Protesters have been met with lethal power and movies of safety forces capturing at demonstrations have been authenticated by each BBC Persian and BBC Confirm.

There has additionally been a near-total shutdown of the web and communication providers in Iran. On Saturday total connectivity remained at about 2% of strange ranges, in response to cyber monitor NetBlocks.

There have been fewer stories of unrest in current days however with web entry nonetheless restricted developments on the bottom stay unclear.

A lady in Shiraz, south-western Iran, informed BBC Persian that "safety forces are nonetheless patrolling on motorbikes to maintain the state of affairs beneath management, however total issues have gone again to regular".

Throughout his speech on Saturday, Khamenei additionally mentioned Iran thought-about President Trump to be a "prison" and mentioned the US have to be "held accountable" for current unrest.

He additionally claimed on social media that "America's aim is to swallow Iran".

Trump has not but responded to the supreme chief and the BBC has approached the White Home for a remark.

The US state division mentioned on Saturday that it had "heard stories that the Islamic Republic is making ready choices to focus on American bases".

It mentioned Iran could be met with "a really, very highly effective power" if it launched such an assault and warned Tehran to not "play video games with President Trump".

The US president mentioned on Wednesday he had been informed "the killing in Iran has stopped", however added that he had not dominated out navy motion in opposition to the nation.