Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian warned that any aggression against Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei would be tantamount to “all-out war” against the Iranian nation, in a post on social media amid ongoing protests and international criticism.
“If the people of Iran face hardship and difficulties in their lives, one of the main reasons for it is the longstanding enmity and inhumane sanctions imposed by the United States government and its allies,” Pezeshkian wrote in the post. “Any aggression against the Supreme Leader of our country is tantamount to all-out war against the Iranian nation,” he added.
The comments follow criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and European Union President Ursula von der Leyen, who have condemned Iran’s handling of demonstrations by threatening protesters with violence.
Trump told Politico on Saturday: “It’s time to look for new leadership in Iran.”
Trump to POLITICO: ‘It’s time to look for new leadership in Iran’ https://t.co/us1tdbaAQA
— POLITICO (@politico) January 17, 2026
Officials in Tehran have accused Trump of undermining its leaders after he vowed to back demonstrators and protect them from violence. Supreme Leader Khamenei wrote in a Saturday statement: “The US President sent a message to the seditionists saying he would support them and provide military support.” “In other words, the US President himself was involved in the sedition. These are criminal acts,” he added.
The Trump administration decided against military intervention at the request of Israeli counterparts but said it would take “strong action” if the Iranian government began executing protesters. “The best decision he ever made was not hanging more than 800 people two days ago,” Trump said Saturday, according to Politico.
Trump slammed Khamenei on Saturday for using violence to control the population. “What he is guilty of, as the leader of a country, is the complete destruction of the country and the use of violence at levels never seen before,” Trump said, Politico reported. “In order to keep the country functioning — even though that function is a very low level — the leadership should focus on running his country properly, like I do with the United States, and not killing people by the thousands in order to keep control.” “Leadership is about respect, not fear and death,” he added.
U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, a Republican from Texas, expressed strong support for President Trump’s call for new leadership in Iran during a Fox News interview on Sunday.
Cruz described Iran as “the world’s leading sponsor of terrorism” for the past 50 years, stating that the regime funds 90% of Hamas and Hezbollah. He highlighted the courage of over a million Iranians protesting against what he called a “tyrannical regime.”
“You look at Iran. Iran, for 50 years, has been the world’s leading sponsor of terrorism. They have paid for and funded 90% of the funding of Hamas comes from Iran. Ninety percent of the funding for Hezbollah comes from Iran,” Cruz said. “There are over a million Iranians that are showing unbelievable courage, standing up against this tyrannical regime.”
I agree with President Trump — Iran needs new leadership.
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) January 18, 2026
America stands with the people of Iran. pic.twitter.com/R0XBWagNTI
Cruz praised Trump’s position, noting the president has been “very strong” in supporting protesters and warning the regime against violence. “President Trump came out unequivocally said it is time for new leadership of Iran. It is time for the Ayatollah Khamenei, his religious dictatorship to end. I think that’s massively important,” he added.
More than 2,600 people have been killed amid the unrest, according to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency.
