Iran protests highlights: ‘Rioters must be put in their place’, says supreme leader Khamenei as protest death toll rises to 15

Iran protests death toll highlights: Protests over rising living costs in Iran entered its sixth day, with multiple deaths reported in clashes between demonstrators and security forces as unrest spread across several cities.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, iran protests, iran protestIran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (AP Photo)

Iran protests death toll highlights: Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Saturday spoke out for the first time since demonstrations began early this week over the country’s ailing economy, where at least 15 people have been killed in clashes between citizens and security forces so far, news agency AP reported quoting human rights activists. Khamenei, addressing the audience in Tehran, over state television, said, “We talk to protesters, the officials must talk to them, but there is no benefit to talking to rioters. Rioters must be put in their place.”

A day earlier, the Iranian Foreign Ministry condemned the US military aggression against Venezuela, calling it a “the blatant violation of the country’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity.” “The US military attack on Venezuela constitutes a clear violation of the fundamental principles of the UN Charter and the basic rules of international law, particularly Article 2(4) of the Charter, which prohibits the threat or use of force, and fully qualifies as an “act of aggression.” An hour before US President Donald Trump announced the operation, the Iranian Ministry issued an official statement condemning his “interventionist remarks” on Tehran’s internal affairs.

Story continues below this ad

Why protests are occurring in Iran: The demonstrations initially began in Tehran, led by shopkeepers angered by another steep fall in the value of the rial against the US dollar on the open market. By Tuesday, university students had joined the protests, which quickly spread to other cities. While the current unrest is being described as the most widespread since the 2022 protests triggered by the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody, it has not yet reached the same scale. President Masoud Pezeshkian has said his administration is prepared to listen to what he described as the “legitimate demands” of protesters. At the same time, Prosecutor General Mohammad Movahedi-Azad warned that any attempts to undermine stability would be met with what he called a “decisive response.”

Live Updates
Jan 4, 2026 08:51 AM IST
Iran protests LIVE Updates: Demonstrations widen across Iran, over 580 people arrested

Demonstrations have reached over 170 locations in 25 of Iran's 31 provinces, the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency reported early Sunday.

The death toll had reached at least 15 killed, it added, with over 580 arrests.

The state-run IRNA news agency reported on what it described as violence in Malekshahi County in Iran's Ilam province, however, it offered no details.

Hengaw, a Kurdish human rights group, and the Oslo-based group Iran Human Rights put the death toll at four in the violence in Ilam. Both groups accused Iranian security forces of opening fire on demonstrators.

(AP)

Jan 4, 2026 08:49 AM IST
Iran protests LIVE Updates: Death toll in Iran protests rises to 15

The death toll in Iran amid protests over the country's ailing economy rose to 15 on Saturday, news agency AP reported.

Two deaths overnight involved a new level of violence, according to AP. In Qom, home to the country's major Shiite seminaries, a grenade exploded, killing a man there, the state-owned IRAN newspaper reported. It quoted security officials alleging the man was carrying the grenade to attack people in the city.

Online videos from Qom purportedly showed fires in the street overnight.

The second death happened in the town of Harsin, where, the newspaper stated, a member of the Basij, the all-volunteer arm of Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, died in a gun and knife attack in the town in Kermanshah province. (AP)

Jan 4, 2026 08:46 AM IST
Iran protests LIVE Updates: Supreme leader Khamenei speaks out for the first time since protests began in Iran

Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Saturday spoke out for the first time since demonstrations began early this week over the country’s ailing economy, where at least 15 people have been killed in clashes between citizens and security forces so far, news agency AP reported quoting human rights activists.

Khamenei, addressing the audience in Tehran, over state television, said, “We talk to protesters, the officials must talk to them, but there is no benefit to talking to rioters. Rioters must be put in their place.”

He also reiterated a claim officials in Iran have repetitively made that foreign powers like Israel or the US were pushing the protests, without offering any evidence. He also blamed “the enemy” for Iran's collapsing rial, AP quoted.

“A bunch of people incited or hired by the enemy are getting behind the tradesmen and shopkeepers and chanting slogans against Islam, Iran and the Islamic Republic," he said. "This is what matters most.”

- inputs from AP

Jan 4, 2026 05:50 AM IST
Iran protests LIVE updates: Shop for marble, threaten Iran, capture Maduro: Trump's dizzying holiday routine

US President Donald Trump capped the holidays with an unprecedented strike on Venezuela, overseeing a surprise snatch-and-grab operation early on Saturday targeted at Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.

The dramatic mission punctuated a winter sojourn to his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, filled with an unusual mix of activities that have become oddly typical for the unconventional president.

Trump spent Thursday night, for instance, blasting out messages on Truth Social about an eclectic array of topics, none of them related to the South American country.

He wrote that the US was "locked and loaded" and poised to help protesters in Iran if they were attacked by the government in Tehran. The 79-year-old president also presented his 11.2 million ‍Truth Social ⁠followers with an image of a bald eagle that had been apparently slain by a windmill, while assuring them in a separate post that he is in "PERFECT HEALTH."

Jan 4, 2026 04:46 AM IST
Iran protests LIVE updates: Internet disruption, several arrests made as Iran protests continue

Iranians are again experiencing internet disruptions amid ongoing protests across the country as state authorities warn against foreign sabotage and organise demonstrations.

Internet users have since Thursday reported sporadic disruptions to home and mobile connections, with data from the US-based global internet infrastructure and cybersecurity company Cloudflare on Saturday showing an average 35 percent lower traffic volume in Iran compared with previous days.

Jan 3, 2026 07:08 PM IST
'We will not give in to the enemy,' Ayatollah Ali Khamenei says

As protests against the cost-of-living crisis in Iran continued on Saturday, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said, "We will not give in to the enemy," in an apparent reference to potential external intervention.

Protests turned deadly in multiple regions, with at least 10 killed in clashes with authorities on Saturday. US President Donald Trump had warned Iran on Friday that if Tehran “violently kills peaceful protesters,” the United States “will come to their rescue.”

Citing "isolated incidents of violent riots," Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded to Trump's comments, saying, "given President Trump’s deployment of the National Guard within U.S. borders, he of all people should know that criminal attacks on public property cannot be tolerated." The Iranian Foreign Ministry also condemned Trump's remarks on Saturday, labelling them as "interventionist."

Khamenei insisted Saturday that “rioters must be put in their place.”

Jan 3, 2026 06:56 PM IST
'Ranting American sits there..spewing slander and false promises,' Ayatollah Ali Khamenei says

As unrest in Iran continued to intensify on Saturday, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said, "That ranting American sits there talking about the Iranian nation, spewing a combination of slander and promises. False promises! Deception!"

Earlier, he said, "What’s important is when one realizes an enemy wants to force something on one's govt. or nation with false claims, they must stand firmly against that enemy," asserting that "We won’t give in to them."

"With reliance on God & confidence in the people’s support, we’ll bring the enemy to its knees," he added.

Jan 3, 2026 05:34 PM IST
Iran's leader says rioters 'must be put in their place' as protest death toll reaches at least 10

Iran's supreme leader insisted Saturday that “rioters must be put in their place” after a week of protests that have shaken the Islamic Republic, likely giving security forces a green light to aggressively put down the demonstrations. The first comments by 86-year-old Ayatollah Ali Khamenei come as violence surrounding the demonstrations sparked by Iran's ailing economy has killed at least 10 people. The protests show no sign of stopping and follow U.S. President Donald Trump warning Iran on Friday that if Tehran “violently kills peaceful protesters,” the United States “will come to their rescue.”--AP

Jan 3, 2026 05:20 PM IST
Iran condemns US military aggression against Venezuela

The Iranian Foreign Ministry condemned the US military aggression against Venezuela and what it called a "the blatant violation of the country’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity."

"The US military attack on Venezuela constitutes a clear violation of the fundamental principles of the UN Charter and the basic rules of international law, particularly Article 2(4) of the Charter, which prohibits the threat or use of force, and fully qualifies as an “act of aggression,” the ministry said.

Jan 3, 2026 02:50 PM IST
Iran condemns ‘meddling’ remarks by US officials, calls comments violation of sovereignty

Iran’s Foreign Ministry has condemned remarks by the US President and senior American officials on the situation in Iran, calling them “interventionist” and a violation of national sovereignty and international law. In a statement, Tehran said the comments amounted to “incitement to violence and terrorism” and accused the US of a history of hostile actions — citing the 1953 coup, support for Saddam Hussein during the Iran-Iraq war, the 1988 downing of an Iranian passenger plane, sanctions, and alleged cooperation with Israel in attacks on Iranian infrastructure. The ministry said Iran would not allow foreign interference and warned that any act of aggression would be met with a “swift and decisive” response.

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

Jan 3, 2026 02:03 PM IST
US State Dept says Iranian protesters’ courage ‘undeniable’, calls for global attention to crackdown

The US State Department’s Persian-language X handle said the determination of Iranian protesters in the face of repression “deserves international attention”, as demonstrations continue despite violent crackdowns by security forces. Describing the courage of citizens as “undeniable”, the post said arrests, beatings and even killings have failed to silence demands for welfare, dignity and basic rights, adding that the public’s resolve in confronting repression warrants the world’s attention.

Jan 3, 2026 12:58 PM IST
Iranian crown prince thanks Trump, says support strengthens protesters’ resolve B

Iranian crown prince thanked former US President Donald Trump for what he called “strong leadership and support” for anti-regime protesters, saying the warning issued to Iran’s leaders has given demonstrators “greater strength and hope”. Claiming to carry a message from protesters seeking to end the regime’s 46-year rule, he said he has a plan for a “stable transition” in Iran and called for rebuilding ties with the US to restore peace and prosperity in the region.

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

Jan 3, 2026 12:28 PM IST
US State Department shares video backing Iran protests, says demands stem from lack of freedom, dignity

The US State Department has expressed support for ongoing protests across Iranian cities, saying demonstrators are driven by frustration over the absence of freedom, dignity and basic necessities. In a post from its Persian-language X account, the department said Iranians are “exhausted” as officials “lead lavish lives and send Iran’s money abroad to fund assassinations”, adding that the “brave resistance” of citizens in the face of hardship “deserves admiration.”

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

Jan 3, 2026 12:10 PM IST
US Congressman backs Iranian protesters, says Trump’s actions aid regime crackdown

Democratic US Representative Greg Stanton voiced support for Iranians protesting their government, calling the Tehran regime “brutal and corrupt”. In a post on X, the Arizona lawmaker warned that the regime’s crackdown becomes “easier” when former President Donald Trump “acts on impulse”, adding that such actions give authorities justification to tighten repression and threaten Israel.

https://t.co/3FkAIay8zq
— Rep. Greg Stanton (@RepGregStanton) January 2, 2026

Jan 3, 2026 09:16 AM IST
If you have just joined us, here is what happened so far

Eight people have lost their lives amid the ongoing protests in Iran, which began in the last week of December. While demonstrations have now slowed in the capital, Tehran, they are spreading to other cities and some rural areas, according to the Associated Press.

US President Donald Trump has warned Iran’s authorities against killing peaceful protesters, saying Washington “will come to their rescue”.

Iran’s United Nations ambassador Amir Saeed Iravani has written to the UN secretary-general and the president of the UN Security Council (UNSC), urging them to condemn “unlawful threats” towards Tehran from United States President Donald Trump amid ongoing protests in the country.

Jan 3, 2026 08:23 AM IST
Iran protests LIVE updates: Iran urges UN to respond to Trump’s ‘reckless’ threats over protests

Iran’s United Nations ambassador Amir Saeed Iravani has written to the UN secretary-general and the president of the UN Security Council (UNSC), urging them to condemn “unlawful threats” towards Tehran from United States President Donald Trump amid ongoing protests in the country.

Jan 3, 2026 07:24 AM IST
Iran protests LIVE updates: Iran's top official warns US against interference as protests escalate

A Senior Iranian official, Ali Larijani, the secretary of Iran’s supreme national security council, accused the US and Israel of having a hand in the demonstrations in Iran, a common refrain by officials in response to protests.

“Trump must realize that US intervention in this domestic matter will lead to destabilisation of the whole region and the destruction of American interests,” Larijani wrote on X. “The American people must know that Trump is the one that started this adventure, and they should pay attention to the safety of their soldiers.”

Jan 3, 2026 06:30 AM IST
Iran protests LIVE updates: Donald Trump warns US will intervene if Iran kills protesters

US President Donald Trump has warned Iran's authorities against killing peaceful protesters, saying Washington "will come to their rescue".

In a brief post on social media, he wrote: "We are locked and loaded and ready to go," but gave no further details.

A senior adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei responded by saying Trump should "be careful" if he intervened, warning of potential chaos across the Middle East.

At least eight people are reported to have been killed in Iran after almost a week of mass protests sparked by worsening economic conditions.

Jan 3, 2026 04:26 AM IST
Iran protests LIVE updates: Trump and top Iranian official exchange threats over protests in Iran

United States President Donald Trump has said Washington is “locked and loaded” to respond if Iran kills more protesters, after cost-of-living demonstrations in the country turned deadly.

Protesters and security forces clashed in several Iranian cities on Thursday, with six reported killed in the first deaths since the unrest escalated.

Jan 3, 2026 01:05 AM IST
Iran protests LIVE updates: Iranian protesters hit the streets of the holy city of Mashhad

Videos and photos posted on social media showed Iranian protestors sitting in front of security forces motorcade in the city of Mashhad. Located in Northeastern Iran, Mashhad is considered one of the holiest cities in Shia Islam and the holiest city in Iran, as it houses the tomb of Imam Reza, the eighth Shia Imam.

Jan 3, 2026 12:51 AM IST
Iran protests LIVE updates: Iranian journalist shares video of protesters being arrested

Iranian-American journalist Masih Alinejad posted a video on X showing what she claimed was the brutal crackdown and arrest of peaceful protesters in the city of Yasuj in southwestern Iran.

Jan 3, 2026 12:45 AM IST
Iran protests LIVE updates: Reza Pahlavi thanks Trump, says he has a plan for stable transition for Iran

Reza Pahlavi, the son of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last shah of Iran, thanked US President Donald Trump for his support of the protesters. “This warning you have issued to the criminal leaders of the Islamic Republic gives my people greater strength and hope—hope that, at last, a President of the United States is standing firmly by their side,” Pahlavi said in a post on X.

Jan 3, 2026 12:36 AM IST
Iran protests LIVE updates: Protesters chant ‘death to the dictator’

In the southern city of Zahedan, where Iran's Baluch minority predominates, the human rights news group Hengaw reported that protesters had chanted slogans including "Death to the dictator".

Hengaw has reported at least 80 arrests so far over the unrest, mostly in the west, and including 14 members of Iran's Kurdish minority.

Jan 2, 2026 07:48 PM IST
Iran protests LIVE updates: Explained: Iran’s latest protests, where Trump said the US was ‘locked and loaded’

Seven people have died amid the ongoing protests in Iran, which began in the last week of December. While demonstrations have now slowed in the capital, Tehran, they are spreading to other cities and some rural areas, according to the Associated Press.

On Friday (January 2), US President Donald Trump wrote in a social media post, “If Iran shots 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. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

Read the full story here

Jan 2, 2026 06:10 PM IST
Iran protests LIVE updates: Israeli Foreign Ministry posts about ‘rising lion’

The Farsi language handle of Israel’s Foreign Ministry posted a picture of a lion and sun, the symbols on the pre-Islamic Revolution Iranian flag. “The rise of Iranian lions and lionesses to fight against darkness. Light triumphs over darkness,” the post read.

Jan 2, 2026 06:01 PM IST
Iran protests LIVE updates: Iran’s capabilities today are far beyond those of the 12-Day War, says Defence Minister

Iran’s Defence Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh said that Iran’s capabilities today are “far beyond those of the 12-Day War.” In a remark to state broadcaster IRIB, Nasirzadeh added that if a threat is directed at the Islamic Republic, the armed forces’ response would be “complete and decisive, without any consideration.”

Nasirzadeh also claimed that Iran’s missile program cannot be eliminated by the United States, adding that “Iran’s missile capability cannot be destroyed by bombs or negotiations.”

Jan 2, 2026 04:08 PM IST
Iran protests LIVE updates: A quick recap of the current protests in Iran

The current protests, now in their sixth day, have become the biggest in Iran since 2022, when the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody triggered nationwide demonstrations. However, the demonstrations have yet to be countrywide and have not been as intense as those surrounding the death of Amini, who was detained over not wearing her hijab, or headscarf, to the liking of authorities.

Iran's civilian government under reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian has been trying to signal it wants to negotiate with protesters. However, Pezeshkian has acknowledged that there is not much he can do as Iran's rial currency has rapidly depreciated, with USD 1 now costing some 1.4 million rials. That sparked the initial protests.

Jan 2, 2026 03:36 PM IST
Iran protests LIVE updates: Iran's Larijani warns US interference would spark regional chaos

Senior adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader, Ali Larijani, said on Friday that US interference in Iranian protests would lead to chaos across region, after President Donald Trump warned Washington would intervene if Iran used lethal force against peaceful demonstrators. — Reuters

Jan 2, 2026 01:48 PM IST
Iran protests LIVE updates: Trump says US will intervene if Iran violently suppresses peaceful protests

US President Donald Trump on Friday said ‍that ⁠if Iran shoots and ​violently kills ‌peaceful protesters, the United ​States of America will come ‌to their rescue.

"We are locked and ‌loaded ‌and ready ‌to ‍go," ⁠he ​said in ⁠a Truth Social post.

(Reuters)

Jan 2, 2026 01:38 PM IST
Iran protests LIVE updates: Is this the first such protest movement in Iran?

Iranian authorities have repeatedly faced waves of protests in recent years, driven by issues ranging from rising prices and water shortages to women’s rights and political freedoms.

These protests have often been met with tough security measures and widespread arrests.

However, the scale and economic roots of the current unrest, combined with Iran’s fragile geopolitical position, make this wave particularly significant.

Jan 2, 2026 12:59 PM IST
Iran protests LIVE updates: How has Iran government responded?

Tehran has paired a security crackdown with an apparent attempt at outreach.

Government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani said Thursday that authorities would hold direct dialogue with representatives of trade unions and merchants, though no further details were provided.

Jan 2, 2026 12:09 PM IST
Iran protests LIVE updates: Where has violence been reported in Iran?

According to Iranian media and rights groups, unrest overnight into Thursday turned deadly in multiple regions.

The semi-official Fars news agency and rights group Hengaw reported deaths in Lordegan, a city in western Iran. Authorities confirmed one death in the western city of Kuhdasht, while Hengaw reported another death in the central province of Isfahan.

Jan 2, 2026 12:00 PM IST
Iran protests LIVE updates: What triggered the protests?

Iran is witnessing its biggest protests in three years as anger over soaring prices and a collapsing currency spills onto the streets.

What began as demonstrations by shopkeepers over economic distress has escalated into violent clashes with security forces, leaving seven people dead and raising fresh challenges for the country’s clerical leadership.

The protests began Sunday after shopkeepers and traders took to the streets to protest the government’s handling of a sharp fall in the Iranian rial and rapidly rising prices, reported news agency Reuters.

Iran is grappling with inflation of over 40%, with the rial losing around half its value against the US dollar in 2025 alone.

(Read more)

Jan 2, 2026 11:07 AM IST
Iran protests LIVE updates: At least 7 reported killed during widening protests in Iran

Widening demonstrations sparked by Iran's ailing economy spread Thursday into the Islamic Republic's rural provinces, with at least seven people being killed in the first fatalities reported among security forces and protesters, authorities said.

The deaths may mark the start of a heavier-handed response by Iran's theocracy over the demonstrations, which have slowed in the capital, Tehran, but expanded elsewhere.

The fatalities, two on Wednesday and five on Thursday, occurred in four cities, largely home to Iran's Lur ethnic group.

(PTI)

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram

© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd
Latest Comment
Post Comment
Read Comments