Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has broken his silence on the 13-day uprising shaking the Islamic Republic, dismissing the protesters as "troublemakers" acting as foot soldiers for Donald Trump.

In a televised address, Khamenei attempted to delegitimize the grassroots movement that has seen chants of "Death to the Dictator" ring out from Tehran to Tabriz. "They are ruining their own streets to please the Great Satan," he declared, signaling a green light for security forces to crush the dissent.

The American Factor

The protests, sparked by economic collapse and the sudden devaluation of the Rial, have taken on a geopolitical dimension. President Trump has warned Tehran he will "hit them very hard" if the crackdown turns bloody, a threat Khamenei is using to rally nationalist sentiment.

• Regime Survival: Unlike 2009 or 2019, these protests are leaderless and span all social classes. The regime fears that Trump’s maximum pressure campaign is working, fracturing the internal cohesion of the state.
• UN Showdown: Iran has formally complained to the UN Security Council, accusing the US of inciting "subversive acts." It is a diplomatic maneuver to frame the unrest as foreign interference rather than domestic failure.
• The Toll: With 48 protesters already dead, the stakes are existential. If the IRGC (Revolutionary Guards) steps in fully, the streets could turn into killing fields.

A Nation at the Crossroads

Iran is caught between a failing economy and a hostile superpower. For the young people on the streets, risking bullets feels like the only option left. The revolution will not be televised—it will be livestreamed, until the internet is cut.