DUBAI: Iran's supreme leader said Saturday (Jan 17) that authorities "must break the back of the seditionists", blaming US President Donald Trump for "casualties" after a deadly crackdown on protests against the country's clerical leadership.
Iran was rocked by weeks of demonstrations sparked by anger over economic hardship that exploded into the biggest protests against the Islamic Republic in more than three years. But demonstrations have subsided after the crackdown that rights groups say left thousands of people dead under an internet blackout that lasted more than a week.
Authorities have said demonstrations they condemn as "riots" had been controlled, and calm returned, with state-aligned media reporting thousands of arrests and officials vowing swift punishment for those detained.
"By God's grace, the Iranian nation must break the back of the seditionists just as it broke the back of the sedition," Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei told supporters during an address broadcast by state television.
"We do not intend to lead the country to war, but we will not spare domestic criminals," he added, saying "international criminals" were "worse" and would also not be spared punishment.
Mass protests challenging authorities that erupted in 2022 were also branded sedition, an accusation rights groups said the authorities used to violently suppress dissent.
Iranian authorities have blamed the latest wave of demonstrations on arch-foes the United States and Israel, saying they fuelled a "terrorist operation" that hijacked peaceful protests over the economy.
Trump, who backed and joined Israel's 12-day war against Iran in June, had repeatedly threatened new military action against Tehran if protesters were killed.
