Iran Signals Crackdown on Protests

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has signaled a tougher response to the nationwide protests shaking the country, saying authorities must put an end to what he described as the actions of “rioters”.

Speaking to an audience in Tehran, Khamenei said officials should engage with demonstrators but drew a clear distinction between protesters and those he labeled as agitators. He said dialogue was necessary with protesters, but insisted there was no value in talking to rioters and that they should be dealt with firmly.

Khamenei repeated longstanding claims by Iranian officials that foreign powers, including Israel and the United States, were fueling the unrest, though he offered no evidence. He also blamed what he called “the enemy” for the collapse of the Iranian rial, which has plunged to around 1.4 million rials to the dollar on the open market.

According to Khamenei, groups allegedly encouraged or paid by foreign adversaries were operating behind shopkeepers and traders, chanting slogans against Islam, Iran and the Islamic Republic. He described this as the most serious aspect of the current unrest.

Analysts say the remarks are widely seen as a green light for security forces to adopt a more forceful approach to protests that have continued for more than a week. Demonstrations erupted over the country’s worsening economic conditions and soaring inflation, which have sharply eroded purchasing power.

At least ten people have been reported killed since the protests began, as clashes between demonstrators and security forces intensified in several cities.