TEHRAN (Realist English). Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said on Friday that the Islamic Republic would stand firm against vandalism and foreign-backed unrest, declaring that Tehran “will not back down” in the face of those acting to curry favor with the United States.
Speaking amid several days of unrest in some Iranian cities, Khamenei said public property had been damaged overnight by what he described as “a bunch of vandals” seeking to “make the American president happy.” He argued that such acts were encouraged by what he called baseless remarks from Washington promising support if Iran behaved in a certain way.
Referring directly to Donald Trump, Khamenei dismissed repeated U.S. claims of standing with the Iranian people. “If he can, he should run his own country,” the leader said, pointing to social and political crises inside the United States.
Khamenei also accused Trump of direct responsibility for the deaths of hundreds of Iranians during what he described as a 12-day U.S.-Israeli war against Iran in June 2025, saying the U.S. president had openly admitted ordering the attacks. Such statements, he added, rendered Washington’s claims of supporting Iranians “meaningless.”
Criticizing those who follow foreign cues, Khamenei said “some inexperienced and thoughtless people” believe U.S. rhetoric and act accordingly, citing incidents such as setting fire to public property. He stressed that the Islamic Republic, which he said was founded through the sacrifice of “hundreds of thousands of honorable people,” would not tolerate destruction or “servitude to foreigners.”
“The Islamic Republic will not back down against vandals. It will not tolerate mercenaries of foreigners,” he said, adding that those working for foreign powers are rejected by both the nation and the state.
Khamenei likened the U.S. president to historical tyrants, saying figures such as Pharaoh, Nimrod and Iran’s former dictators were toppled “at the height of their arrogance,” and predicted a similar fate. He urged unity, particularly among young people, calling on them to preserve faith, political awareness and readiness. “A united nation overcomes any enemy,” he said.
His remarks came as Iranian officials reiterated that peaceful protests over economic grievances are legitimate and would be addressed, while violence and sabotage would not be tolerated. Authorities have said rioters exploited public frustration over rising living costs and the depreciation of the rial — problems Tehran attributes to unilateral U.S. sanctions on Iran’s central bank and oil exports.
Security and judicial officials have announced the dismantling of several armed cells and the arrest of foreign-linked operatives, reporting that the unrest has resulted in the deaths of several law enforcement officers. Officials have also accused American and Israeli figures of openly encouraging violence, citing Trump’s warnings that Washington could attack Iran if what he termed “peaceful protesters” were harmed.
Elsewhere in his remarks, Khamenei said U.S. hostility toward Iran stemmed from the Islamic Republic’s removal of the country’s wealth and resources from foreign control after the 1979 revolution. Pointing to Latin America, he cited Washington’s recent actions in Venezuela and the detention of President Nicolas Maduro as examples of what he described as a U.S. drive to seize other nations’ resources.
“They besiege a country and shamelessly say we did it for the oil,” Khamenei said, adding that Iran’s resistance remains rooted in popular support and national sovereignty.
On Friday, large crowds gathered in several Iranian cities to denounce the riots and voice support for the Islamic Republic, echoing the leadership’s calls for unity in the face of external pressure.