Condemning Trump, Iran's Supreme Leader Warns Protesters of Foreign Interference

JAKARTA - Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned demonstrators not to "collaborate with foreign parties".

He also criticized US President Donald Trump, who he considered to be taking advantage of public unrest, and called for Iranian national unity.

"I cannot tolerate collaboration with foreign parties," Khamenei said in a public speech reported by ANTARA from Anadolu, Friday, January 9.

"If you are an agent collaborating with foreign parties, you will be immediately rejected by the Iranian people and by the Iranian regime," he continued.

He accused Trump of having "blood on his hands" of the Iranian people, but still claimed to be on the side of the Iranian people.

According to Khamenei, Trump acted irresponsibly and did not care about civilians.

"They, the demonstrators, could have believed him. They burned the garbage just to please him," he said.

Khamenei also called on the public to maintain readiness and unity, stressing that the Iranian nation would be able to overcome any enemy.

The statement was made amid rising tensions in Iran, where a wave of demonstrations has continued since late December, triggered by economic and social grievances.

The protest action began on December 28 at the Grand Bazaar in Tehran following the collapse of the Iranian rial exchange rate and the worsening economic conditions, before spreading to a number of other cities throughout the country.

Iranian authorities have not released official casualty figures. However, the Human Rights Activists News Agency reported on the 12th day of the riots that 42 people were killed, including eight security personnel, dozens were injured, and 2,277 people were arrested.

Meanwhile, Trump said Thursday (8/1) that the US would attack Iran "very hard" if the country started killing protesters.

"If they start killing protesters, which they tend to do during riots, and they often have riots, if that happens, we're going to hit them very hard," Trump said in an interview with the Hugh Hewitt Show.

He said Iran had been warned very strongly that they would face serious consequences if such actions were taken.