Iran's supreme leader signals harsher crackdown as protest movement swells

"Iran's supreme leader has vowed that authorities will not back down in the face of growing protests, blaming the US for instigating demonstrations that started over economic conditions and have since expanded to calls for political reform. In his first speech since the protests started 13 days ago, the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, signalled on Friday that a greater crackdown was coming. He described protesters as vandals and saboteurs, and accused them of working on behalf of foreign agendas."

"Protesters are ruining their own streets to make the president of another country happy because he said he would come to their aid, Khamenei said a reference to Donald Trump, who has threatened American intervention in Iran if authorities kill protesters. The US president, in an interview with Fox News on Thursday, suggested the supreme leader was preparing to flee Iran. He's looking to go somewhere. It's getting very bad, Trump said."

"Protesters filled Iran's streets overnight, despite a nationwide internet shutdown and an escalating crackdown. Videos showed crowds of thousands of people marching through the streets of Tehran, setting fire to a building belonging to the Iranian state broadcasters and hoisting a flag bearing the lion and sun emblem the flag of Iran before the 1979 revolution that brought the current regime to power. Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of the late shah of Iran, called for protests on Thursday evening."

Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, vowed that authorities will not back down and signalled a greater crackdown, blaming the US for instigating demonstrations. He called protesters vandals and saboteurs, accusing them of serving foreign agendas and saying they 'are ruining their own streets to make the president of another country happy'. The judiciary head warned of decisive, maximum consequences without legal leniency. Despite an internet shutdown and escalating repression, thousands marched in Tehran and other cities, set fire to a state broadcaster building, and hoisted the pre-1979 lion and sun flag. Exiled royal Reza Pahlavi called for protests, with chants recorded in Mashhad, Khamenei's hometown.

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