Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, this Saturday (17), blamed United States President Donald Trump for the weeks of protests in the country, after human rights groups said that a violent crackdown by security forces left thousands dead.
The demonstrations began on December 28, motivated by the population’s economic difficulties, and evolved into widespread protests that began calling for the end of the regime. Donald Trump has threatened to intervene in the crisis, including promising to “take very harsh measures” if Iran executes protesters.
This Friday (16), however, in a post on social media, the American president thanked the Iranian government, saying that mass hangings had been suspended. Iran stated that “there is no plan to hang people.”
According to state media, Khamenei said the government will not drag the country into war, but that it will not leave domestic or international criminals unpunished.
The Iranian government blames the violence in the protests on armed hooligans posing as protesters.
Authorities classify these people as “terrorists” and claim that Israel and the United States have organized these groups. The Tehran government also holds both countries responsible for many of the deaths of protesters and members of the security forces.
