Attack on Khamenei means full-scale war: Iran warns US after Trump remarks

Iran said that any attack on Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei would mean war, after Donald Trump called for an end to his nearly 40-year rule

Iran has warned that any move against its Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei would be treated as an act of war, amid rising tensions with the United States.

 

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian issued the warning on Sunday, saying an attack on Khamenei would be seen as an attack on the entire country.

 

In a post on X, Pezeshkian said, “An attack on the great leader of our country is tantamount to a full-scale war with the Iranian nation.”

 

He said that Iran would not separate the safety of its leader from the sovereignty of the state.

 

Pezeshkian also blamed the United States for the economic hardship that has fueled protests across Iran over the past two weeks. He said American sanctions were a major reason behind rising prices, unemployment, and currency weakness.

 

 

“If there are hardships in the lives of the dear people of Iran, one of the main causes is the longstanding hostility and inhumane sanctions imposed by the US government and its allies,” he said.

 

The remarks followed comments by Trump in an interview with Politico on Saturday, where he openly called for an end to Khamenei’s nearly four-decade rule. Trump described the Iranian leader as “a sick man” and accused him of killing his own people.

 

How the protests began

 

Protests erupted in Iran on December 28 after anger over high inflation, a falling currency, and worsening living conditions spread from Tehran to other cities.

 

What began as demonstrations over economic issues soon turned into broader protests demanding the removal of the government. As unrest grew, Iranian authorities imposed a near-total shutdown of internet and phone services on January 8.   

 

Trump urges protesters to continue

 

Last Tuesday, Trump publicly encouraged Iranians to continue protesting. He urged them to “take over your institutions” and said, “Help is on its way.”

 

These remarks came as reports suggested the US was close to ordering military strikes on Iran.

 

On Wednesday, the US reportedly came close to launching attacks but stepped back at the last moment. According to Axios, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Trump that Israel was not prepared for Iranian retaliation and questioned whether US strikes would succeed.

 

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman also advised restraint, warning that military action could destabilise the region.

 

Trump later claimed Iranian authorities had stopped the planned execution of hundreds of prisoners, including Erfan Soltani, a 26-year-old protester sentenced to death.

 

Soltani was arrested in Karaj after taking part in demonstrations. His family confirmed over the weekend that he was alive but said he had been tortured and denied medical treatment.

 

A US-based activist group said on Sunday that it had verified at least 3,919 deaths during the protests and the subsequent crackdown, Associated Press reported.

 

The Human Rights Activists News Agency revised its earlier figure of 3,308 deaths and warned the actual toll could be much higher. The group said the scale of violence was the deadliest seen in Iran in decades and comparable to the turmoil during the 1979 revolution.

 

Khamenei calls Trump a ‘criminal’

 

Khamenei on Saturday strongly criticised Trump for supporting the protests, calling him a criminal. In a speech broadcast on state television, Khamenei blamed protesters for causing thousands of deaths, marking the first time an Iranian leader publicly acknowledged the scale of casualties.

 

“In this revolt, the US president made remarks in person, encouraged seditious people to go ahead and said: 'We do support you, we do support you militarily',” said Khamenei.

 

He repeated claims that the United States seeks control over Iran’s political system and economic resources, and accused Washington of using unrest to weaken the country.

 

(With agency inputs)