Iran’s Khamenei blames violent protests on Trump

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei pointed the finger at U.S. President Donald Trump for encouraging protests in the Middle Eastern country that he acknowledged have led to thousands of deaths.

Khamenei held Trump responsible for the violence, according to Iranian state media, calling him guilty “for the casualties, damages and slander he inflicted on the Iranian nation.”

An Iranian official put the verified deaths at 5,000, according to a report by Reuters on Sunday.

The country is currently under an internet blackout, making it difficult to get information from inside Iran about the crackdown on widespread protests. The U.S.-based Iranian Human Rights Activists News Agency estimates 3,308 have died and said they have confirmed 24,000 arrests.

“The Iranian nation must break the back of the seditionists just as it broke the back of the sedition,” Khamenei said in Saturday’s televised address. “We do not intend to lead the country to war, but we will not spare domestic criminals,” he added.

The protests started over economic concerns in late December and have since escalated, with many on the streets now calling for Khamenei to step down.

Speaking to POLITICO on Saturday, Trump said “It’s time to look for new leadership in Iran.”