"Rioters Must Be Put in Their Place": Khamenei Threatens Force as Iran Protests Spread

The 86-year-old Iranian Supreme Leader delivered harsh remarks Saturday as protests against his government's political and economic corruption continued to spread throughout the country, marking the most significant civil unrest the Islamic Republic has faced in recent years.

In his first public address since the demonstrations began seven days ago, Khamenei attempted to draw distinctions between what he termed legitimate protest and rioting. "A number of agitated people, enemy mercenaries, had positioned themselves behind bazaar merchants and chanted slogans against Islam, against Iran and against the Islamic Republic," he stated during his speech.

The Supreme Leader acknowledged the right to protest while simultaneously issuing a warning to demonstrators. "Protest is legitimate, but protest is different from rioting," Khamenei said. "Officials should speak with protesters. Speaking with a rioter is pointless. Rioters must be put in their place."

Death Toll Rises as Security Forces Open Fire

According to the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), an opposition organization seeking regime change, Iranian security forces have killed at least 10 people as of Saturday. The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency reported that demonstrations have erupted in more than 100 locations across 22 of Iran's 31 provinces.

Violence escalated Saturday in Malekshahi, Ilam province, where security forces opened fire on peaceful demonstrators, resulting in multiple casualties. The NCRI reported that approximately 30 protesters in Malekshahi were shot and remained in critical condition.

Protests Spread Across Multiple Cities

The unrest has touched numerous Iranian cities. In Kazerun, protesters gathered in Shohada Square where security personnel fired live ammunition. In Shiraz's Golshan district, young activists blocked roads by setting tires ablaze as a form of resistance.

University campuses have become centers of demonstration, with students at Shahrood University of Technology chanting defiant slogans. At Allameh University's Hemmat dormitory in Tehran, students proclaimed opposition to the government.

International Response and Trump's Warning

Khamenei's remarks came one day after President Donald Trump issued an unprecedented message of support to Iranian demonstrators. Writing on Truth Social Friday, Trump warned: "If Iran [shoots] 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."

Opposition Leaders Respond

Opposition figures quickly countered Khamenei's statements. Maryam Rajavi, leader of the NCRI, responded: "Khamenei is right; 80 million Iranians are his enemy. They have only one message for him: pack up his rule and remove his scourge from the Iranian people."

Reza Pahlavi, son of Iran's last Shah, addressed the Supreme Leader directly on social media platform X: "Ali Khamenei, fearing the growing waves of this national uprising, has emerged from his hiding place to threaten the people of Iran."

Pahlavi also directed a message to Iranian military and law enforcement personnel: "Do not tie your fate to the sinking ship of the Islamic Republic. Join the people and separate yourselves from this corrupt system. Your weapons are for defending the nation, not suppressing it."

The protests represent one of the most serious challenges to Iran's government in years, with demonstrators expressing frustration over economic hardship, political corruption, and authoritarian rule. As the unrest continues, both domestic opposition groups and international observers are watching closely to see how the situation develops.