Ayatollah Ali Khamenei condemned some demonstrators as "enemy mercenaries" and called for rioters to be subdued in his first major remarks since unrest began a week earlier. Rights groups and opposition sources report protests in more than 100 locations across 22 provinces and at least ten fatalities amid reports that security forces opened fire. Opposition leaders urged continued resistance and called on security forces to side with the people, while former U.S. President Donald Trump publicly expressed support for the demonstrators.
Khamenei Denounces 'Rioters' as Nationwide Anti-Regime Protests Spread, Reports Say Dozens Injured
In this photo released June 26, 2025, by the official website of the office of the Iranian supreme leader, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks in a televised speech under a portrait of the late revolutionary founder Ayatollah Khomeini.
The ruling Ayatollah Ali Khamenei delivered a forceful public rebuke on Saturday of mass demonstrations sweeping Iran, his first extended remarks since strikes and unrest began a week earlier. The 86-year-old supreme leader accused "a number of agitated people, enemy mercenaries" of aligning with bazaar merchants and chanting slogans "against Islam, against Iran and against the Islamic Republic."
While acknowledging that protest can be legitimate, Khamenei drew a sharp distinction between lawful demonstrations and what he called rioting. "Protest is legitimate, but protest is different from rioting," he said, adding that officials should engage with ordinary protesters but that "speaking with a rioter is pointless. Rioters must be put in their place."
Reports Of Violence And Casualties
Opposition groups and rights monitors said security forces opened fire on demonstrators in multiple locations. According to information shared with Fox News Digital by the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), security forces shot at demonstrators in several towns. The NCRI reported that in Malekshahi, Ilam province, dozens of young protesters were shot, with 30 reported to be in critical condition.
As of Saturday, rights groups and dissident sources said at least ten people had been killed amid the unrest. The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported demonstrations in more than 100 locations across 22 of Iran's 31 provinces.
Scenes From The Protests
Reports described a variety of actions: demonstrators gathered in Kazerun’s Shohada Square, where the dissident group said security forces fired live ammunition; in Shiraz’s Golshan district young anti-regime protesters set tires on fire to block roads. Students joined the movement as well, with chants at Shahrood University of Technology of "Students will die but not accept humiliation" and at Allameh University dormitories some shouting, "Death to the dictator."
Reactions From Opposition Figures And Abroad
Maryam Rajavi, leader of the NCRI, responded to Khamenei by saying he was right only in one respect — that "80 million Iranians are his enemy" — and urged him to step down, warning that "threats, bluster, and repression cannot stop the uprising." Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran's last Shah, urged security forces to defect and said those who fire on civilians "will be identified and punished."
Former U.S. President Donald Trump posted a rare show of public support for the demonstrators on Truth Social, writing: "If Iran shots [sic] and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue. We are locked and loaded and ready to go." The post included a typographical error, which was noted in media coverage.
Outlook
The unrest represents a major challenge to Iran’s leadership, expanding beyond isolated protests into a wider national movement, according to opposition groups and rights monitors. Authorities' responses and further developments remain closely watched by regional and international observers.
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