Tehran, January 9, 2026 — In a defiant televised address on Friday, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei directly targeted U.S. President Donald Trump, warning that the American leader would face the same fate as historical tyrants who were toppled at the height of their power.
“The arrogant people of the world, such as Pharaoh, Nimrod, Reza Khan, and Mohammad Reza [Pahlavi], were overthrown at the height of their arrogance; he too will be overthrown,” Khamenei declared, drawing parallels between Trump and ancient and modern figures he described as despots.
The 86-year-old leader’s remarks came amid escalating nationwide protests in Iran, now in their second week, fueled by economic hardships including a plunging rial currency, soaring inflation, and widespread dissatisfaction with living costs. Demonstrators have taken to the streets in Tehran and other cities, chanting slogans like “Death to the dictator” aimed at Khamenei himself, and some have called for the return of exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi.
Khamenei accused protesters of acting as “vandals” and “saboteurs,” claiming they were destroying public property “just to please the president of another country”—a clear reference to Trump. He alleged that rioters were serving foreign interests, particularly those of the United States, and vowed that the Islamic Republic would not tolerate “mercenaries for foreigners.”
“The Islamic Republic came to power with the blood of hundreds of thousands of honorable people, and it will not back down in the face of saboteurs,” Khamenei said, signaling a continued hardline crackdown. He also accused Trump of having “hands stained with the blood of more than a thousand Iranians,” apparently alluding to U.S. support for Israel’s military strikes on Iran in June 2025.
The supreme leader urged Trump to “focus on problems in his own country” instead of interfering in Iran’s affairs, adding that if the U.S. president “knew how to run a country, he would run his own.”
Khamenei’s speech followed recent statements from Trump praising Iranian protesters as “brave people” and warning Tehran of severe consequences if authorities killed demonstrators. Trump has described the unrest as showing “incredible enthusiasm to overturn that regime” and threatened a “very hard” U.S. response to any lethal violence against peaceful protesters.
Despite a nationwide internet blackout imposed by authorities to disrupt organization of the demonstrations, protests have persisted, with reports of large rallies, clashes with security forces, dozens killed, and thousands arrested. Human rights groups have documented the use of live ammunition against protesters, including in hospitals where the wounded sought treatment.
The exchange underscores deepening tensions between Washington and Tehran during Trump’s second term, against the backdrop of Iran’s economic woes, regional setbacks, and growing domestic calls for regime change. As protests show no signs of abating, Khamenei’s address appeared aimed at rallying hardline supporters while projecting resolve in the face of external pressure.
About The Author
