Iran, Jan 18 : As anti government protests continue across Iran, US President Donald Trump on Saturday strongly criticised the country’s leadership, calling for an end to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s decades long rule. Trump asserted that Iran urgently needs new leadership, accusing Khamenei of maintaining power through fear, violence, and repression.
“It’s time to look for new leadership in Iran,” Trump told reporters. He said Khamenei governs by killing people to suppress dissent and blamed him for Iran’s deteriorating situation. “In order to keep the country functioning even at a very low level the leadership should focus on running the country properly, like I do with the United States, and not killing people by the thousands to maintain control,” Trump added, calling the Supreme Leader a “sick man.”
The US president described Iran under Khamenei as the “worst place to live anywhere,” citing widespread unrest and mismanagement.
Earlier on Saturday, Khamenei responded by labelling Trump a “criminal” and accused the United States of contributing to the protests and casualties in Iran. He claimed that Iran had overcome US efforts to destabilise the country and emphasised that while the nation would not seek war, it would hold accountable those responsible for the killings and destruction.
Trump’s remarks highlight rising tensions between Washington and Tehran as the unrest in Iran continues, drawing global attention to the country’s internal political crisis.