Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Friday (January 9) accused protesters of acting on behalf of U.S. President Donald Trump.
In an address broadcast on state TV, He said rioters were attacking public properties and warning that Tehran would not tolerate people acting as "mercenaries for foreigners".
Khamenei said “Last night in Tehran and some other places, a bunch of vandals showed up and destroyed buildings belonging to their own country, just to please the U.S. president.”
“The Islamic Republic was established with the blood of several hundred thousand honourable people, and it will not back down in the face of those who engage in destruction, nor will it tolerate mercenaries serving foreign powers.” he added.
The Iranian leader, who has been in power since 1989, also said that President Trump's hands "are stained with blood of more than a thousand Iranian martyred during the 12-day war [with Israel]".
Iran's fragmented external opposition factions called for more protests on Friday with Reza Pahlavi, exiled son of the late ruling shah, telling Iranians in a social media post: "The eyes of the world are upon you. Take to the streets."
Trump, who bombed Iran last summer and who last week warned Tehran it could come to the protesters' aid, said on Friday he would not meet Pahlavi and was "not sure that it would be appropriate" to back him.
Iran was largely cut off from the outside world on Friday after authorities blacked out the internet to curb expanding protests, with phone calls not reaching the country, flights cancelled and online Iranian news sites only intermittently updating.
The protests that began over soaring inflation in the Islamic Republic late last month have spiralled into the biggest for three years, with unrest reported in every province and rights groups documenting dozens of deaths.
Meanwhile the protests have led to travel disruptions as Flydubai cancelled all flights to Iran.
An airline person confirmed to BBC that all of its flights to Iran today have been cancelled due to the ongoing unrest in the country.
The company says it will continue to monitor the situation closely and stay in touch with passengers affected.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 21st of February, covering the latest developments you need to...
U.S. President Donald Trump will travel to China from 31 March to 2 April, the White House has confirmed, for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping ...
Iran's foreign minister is expected to have a draft counterproposal ready within days following this week's nuclear talks with the United States. Mean...
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) said on Friday that its life‑saving food and nutrition assistance in Somalia could end by April withou...
Quentin Griffiths, co-founder of online fashion retailer ASOS, has died in Pattaya, Thailand, after falling from the 17th floor of a condominium on 9 ...
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) said on Friday that its life‑saving food and nutrition assistance in Somalia could end by April without urgent funding, leaving millions at risk of severe hunger.
Quentin Griffiths, co-founder of online fashion retailer ASOS, has died in Pattaya, Thailand, after falling from the 17th floor of a condominium on 9 February, Thai police confirmed.
UK politicians have renewed calls for Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly Prince Andrew, to be removed from the line of succession following his arrest on suspicion of misconduct in public office and revelations over his links to convicted U.S. sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Hungary announced on Friday it was blocking a €90 billion ($106 billion) European Union loan intended to support Ukraine’s 2026–2027 budget and military needs, citing disruptions to Russian oil deliveries via the Druzhba pipeline.
Quentin Griffiths, co-founder of online fashion retailer ASOS, has died in Pattaya, Thailand, after falling from the 17th floor of a condominium on 9 February, Thai police confirmed.
The Board of Peace will be "looking over the United Nations," said U.S. President Donald Trump at the inaugural Washington meeting, where representatives from over 20 countries gathered to unveil plans for Gaza’s reconstruction and coordinate international support.
At least four people have died and 17 others were injured after a liquid gas truck overturned and exploded in Santiago, Chile’s capital, authorities confirmed on Thursday. Police said the driver was among those killed.
Russian President Vladimir Putin met Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez in the Kremlin on Wednesday, telling him that new restrictions imposed on the communist-run island were unacceptable.
Kazakhstan has entered the world’s top 50 economies by GDP in 2026, ranking 50th with a projected nominal output of $320 billion. The result reflects sustained growth, structural reforms and the country’s rising role as a regional economic hub.
Iran's foreign minister is expected to have a draft counterproposal ready within days following this week's nuclear talks with the United States. Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump said he is considering limited military strikes.
Uzbekistan's president Shavkat Mirziyoyev has held a series of high-level meetings in the U.S. aimed at strengthening bilateral economic and strategic ties between the two countries.
Türkiye has signalled readiness to contribute to a proposed Gaza stabilisation force during the inaugural Board of Peace meeting on Thursday (19 February), but according to former Turkish diplomat Mehmet Öğütçü, the decisive factor will be whether Israel and the United States agree on Ankara’s role.
Türkiye is prepared to contribute troops to a proposed international stabilisation force for Gaza, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Thursday.
Iran has warned it will respond “decisively” if subjected to military aggression, saying U.S. President Donald Trump’s rhetoric signals “a real risk of military aggression”.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment