Iran Leader Says Regime Will Not Back Down Amid Protests

Iran’s supreme leader said the government will not back down against unrest, accusing vandals of serving foreign interests as internet restrictions continued nationwide.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei reacted sharply to the nationwide protests, describing demonstrators as “saboteurs and rioters” and warning that the state would not back down.

Speaking on Friday, January 9, Khamenei said those “working for foreign powers” were rejected by the Iranian nation and the Islamic system, vowing firm action against any challenge to the government.

His remarks came as protests continued across Iran, with demonstrations reported in multiple cities over economic hardship, social grievances and political restrictions.

The recent wave of unrest began weeks ago and has rapidly spread nationwide, with protesters calling for major changes in economic policy, social justice and civil freedoms.

Khamenei has repeatedly framed such protests as threats to national security, insisting that authorities will confront what he labels “disorder.”

Iran has witnessed several nationwide protest movements over the past decade, many initially triggered by economic pressures before expanding into broader political demands.

Authorities have often responded with force, mass arrests and restrictions on communications, drawing criticism from international rights groups.

Earlier, U.S. President Donald Trump warned that Washington would respond if protesters were killed during any potential crackdown.

Analysts say the latest confrontation underscores widening tensions between Iran’s leadership and a population increasingly frustrated by economic decline and political repression.

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