U.S. President Donald Trump suggested that Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei may be preparing to flee the country as nationwide protests demanding regime change continue to escalate.
Speaking on Thursday, Mr Trump said Khamenei was «looking to go someplace» amid reports he could seek refuge in Russia, adding that Iran appeared to be on the «verge of collapsing.» His comments came as millions of Iranians took to the streets following calls for mass demonstrations by Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran’s former shah.
Protesters have reportedly chanted slogans including «death to Khamenei,» while clashes with security forces have intensified. Rights groups say at least 38 people have been killed and more than 2,200 arrested, as authorities imposed a nationwide internet blackout.
Mr Trump warned Tehran against the use of force, saying the US would «hit them very hard» if peaceful protesters were harmed. In response, Ayatollah Khamenei blamed the unrest on the United States and Israel in his first public address since the protests began, calling demonstrators «saboteurs» and insisting the Islamic Republic would «not back down.»
The unrest comes amid a deepening economic crisis, soaring inflation and renewed tensions over Iran’s nuclear programme following recent US and Israeli strikes on Iranian facilities.
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