Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei lashed out at the United States as protests spread across Iran, with the death toll rising to at least 60 over nearly two weeks. In footage aired on state television, Khamenei described US President Donald Trump as having hands “stained with the blood of Iranians,” while supporters chanted “Death to America!”
Iranian state media repeatedly called the protesters “terrorists,” a tactic frequently used before violent crackdowns during past nationwide unrest.
Casualties and Injuries Across the Country
The Norway-based group Iran Human Rights reported that dozens have been killed and hundreds injured since the protests began. Demonstrators took to the streets over soaring living costs and a plunging currency, with unrest spreading from Tehran to major cities including Mashhad despite a heavy security presence.
Buildings, buses, and shops have been burned, turning Tehran into what a journalist described as a “war zone.” Human rights groups said at least 38 people have been killed and more than 2,200 arrested during clashes with police.
This unrest follows a tumultuous period for Tehran, which is still recovering from a 12-day conflict in June, initiated by Israel, that included US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
Exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi Urges US Intervention
Exiled Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi shared video on X saying, “Simultaneously with the conquest of the streets across Iran by our brave compatriots for the second consecutive night, I have a message for Iranians abroad and the important role they must play in these fateful hours and days:
همزمان با تسخیر خیابانهای سراسر ایران به دست هممیهنان شجاعمان برای دومین شب پیاپی، پیامی دارم به ایرانیان خارج از کشور و نقش مهمی که میبایست در این ساعات و روزهای سرنوشتساز ایفا کنند. pic.twitter.com/awbhDq0Q6C
— Reza Pahlavi (@PahlaviReza) January 9, 2026
Further Exiled Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi called on President Trump to intervene after the regime imposed a nationwide internet blackout to control information during the protests. He described Trump as a “man of peace and a man of your word” and appealed directly to him.
He wrote on X, “Mr. President, this is an urgent and immediate call for your attention, support, and action. Last night you saw the millions of brave Iranians in the streets facing down live bullets. Today, they are facing not just bullets but a total communications blackout. No Internet. No landlines.”
Pahlavi warned that Khamenei intends to use the blackout to suppress protesters, “Ali Khamenei, fearing the end of his criminal regime at the hands of the people and, with the help of your powerful promise to support the protesters, has threatened the people on the streets with a brutal crackdown. And he wants to use this blackout to murder these young heroes.”
Mr. President, this is an urgent and immediate call for your attention, support, and action. Last night you saw the millions of brave Iranians in the streets facing down live bullets. Today, they are facing not just bullets but a total communications blackout. No Internet. No…
— Reza Pahlavi (@PahlaviReza) January 9, 2026
Iran Warns Against Foreign Intervention
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused the US and Israel of “directly intervening” in the protests, though he provided no evidence. He claimed, “They have plans and want to interfere, and they are trying to take these protests and uprisings to the moment of violence.”
Araghchi said the likelihood of foreign military intervention is “very low” and mentioned that Oman’s foreign minister, who often mediates between Iran and the West, would visit on Saturday. He added that Iran “does not seek war, but we are fully prepared for it,” while expressing openness to negotiations with the US. President Trump previously said he would come to the aid of demonstrators if Iran killed protestors.
How the Protests Began and Escalated
The current wave of protests began in late December in Tehran when shopkeepers went on strike and joined street demonstrations. Traditionally supportive of the regime, many small business owners were driven to protest due to spiraling inflation and a currency that lost over 40% of its value last year, making basic goods unaffordable for most people.
The protests quickly spread across Iran, with citizens expressing anger not only at economic hardships but also at the hardline regime.
Government Crackdown and Arrests
Since the protests began, more than 2,300 people have been detained, including at least 167 minors, according to HRANA. The group reported at least 65 deaths, including 50 protesters, 7 children, and 14 security personnel.
The Islamic Republic’s semi-official Fars news agency reported that approximately 250 police officers and 45 Basij security members were injured during the unrest.
