Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Friday accused the United States of seeking to “devour” Iran, saying Washington was directly involved in recent unrest and interference in the country’s internal affairs.
“The recent sedition was orchestrated by the U.S. The U.S. did the planning and took action. The U.S.’s goal is to devour Iran,” Khamenei said, framing the unrest as part of a broader campaign against the Islamic Republic rather than isolated domestic protests.
Khamenei blamed the U.S. president personally for encouraging the unrest, claiming that Washington had offered support to those involved and misrepresented violent groups as the Iranian people. “The U.S. president sent a message to the seditionists saying he would support them and provide military support,” he said, calling such acts “criminal.” He also said the president’s statements were slanderous toward Iranians.
The remarks come amid weeks of protests across several Iranian cities, initially sparked by economic grievances and social restrictions. Demonstrators have called for political reforms and an end to state repression, while Iranian authorities have blamed foreign powers for attempting to destabilize the country.
Khamenei emphasized that U.S. hostility toward Iran extends beyond the current administration. “From the beginning of the Islamic Revolution until today, the U.S. has lost its dominance over Iran. And they want to bring Iran under their military, political & economic domination again. This isn’t [solely] related to the current U.S. president either! It’s a general U.S. policy,” he said.
The Supreme Leader’s comments came as Iranian authorities continue to crack down on protesters, detaining demonstrators and limiting access to social media platforms. Officials have sought to frame the unrest as foreign-engineered, emphasizing Tehran’s narrative that U.S. intervention is the primary driver of instability.
“The unique feature of this sedition was that the U.S. president himself interfered in this sedition and encouraged the seditionists,” Khamenei said, underscoring his claim that recent protests were not purely domestic in origin.
Khamenei’s statements signal a continued hardening of rhetoric toward Washington and a focus on portraying Iran as a target of external threats, even as domestic discontent persists across the country.
