Ali Khamenei says Trump has 'blood on his hands' and criticizes 'foreign mercenaries'.
The Ayatollah and Supreme Leader of Iran issued a warning against groups that, according to him, "vandalize national property and please the US president."
247 - Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, delivered a harsh speech against Donald Trump and accused the US president of having his "hands stained with the blood of more than a thousand Iranians." The Iranian referred to military commanders, scientists, public figures and civilians killed by Israel in the so-called "12-Day War" in June of last year. His statements were released this Friday (9) by Telesur.
In an address to the nation, Khamenei said that the protests in the country are mostly peaceful. According to the Ayatollah, groups organized from abroad are trying to incite confusion and violence. These groups "vandalize national property and please the US president," the Iranian leader stated.
“Iran will not yield to those who commit acts of vandalism” and will not “tolerate those who act as mercenaries for foreigners,” Khamenei continued, calling on young people to “preserve national unity” and declaring that “a united nation can defeat any enemy.”
More backlash against the US
The protests began in late December in Tehran due to the economic crisis. The country's currency, the rial, lost half its value against the dollar last year, and inflation exceeded 40% in December. Protests have already taken place in 25 of Iran's 31 provinces, according to a count by the AFP news agency.
The head of the Iranian judiciary, Gholamhosein Mohseni Ejei, stated that "there will be no leniency for those who aid the enemy against the Islamic Republic."
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian ordered on Wednesday (7) that security forces differentiate between protesters motivated by the economic situation and “troublemakers” who, according to him, act against national security.
Nuclear capability and oil
Iran is among the main adversaries of the United States on the international stage. In recent years, the US government, along with allied countries, has once again raised concerns about the possibility of the country developing a nuclear program for military purposes.
Iranian authorities reject these accusations, stating that it is an attempt by the West to interfere in national sovereignty. The Iranian government denies any intention of producing nuclear weapons and maintains that its nuclear program is exclusively peaceful in nature.
Beyond strategic issues, oil is also cited as a factor of interest to the United States. According to data from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Iran will occupy the sixth position among the largest producers in 2024, with a production of 3,2 million barrels per day.
Brazil was the fifth largest producer, with 3,3 million barrels per day. The United States led the ranking, with 13,2 million barrels per day, followed by Saudi Arabia, with 8,9 million, China, with 4,2 million, and Iraq, with 3,8 million barrels per day.
