Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei spoke at a religious event, slamming US President Donald Trump for causing unrest in Iran.
"We see the US President as at fault for the casualties, the damages, and the slander against the Iranian nation," Khamenei said. "The US' goal is to swallow Iran. This was a US rebellion and the nation broke it."
He also claimed that "US and Zionist intelligence trained the leaders of the rioters abroad."
"Those who are connected to Israel and the US killed thousands," he alleged. "We will not drag the country into a war - but we will not let international or local criminals avoid punishment."
Trump has repeatedly warned that he may intervene on behalf of protesters in Iran, where thousands have reportedly been killed in the regime’s crackdown on protests against it.
While at one point on Wednesday, tensions seemed to be at their highest and US action in Iran seemed imminent, matters later calmed as Trump claimed that the killing of protesters had ceased.
"We have been notified pretty strongly that the killing in Iran is stopping, and there's no plan for executions or an execution," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.
He noted that "I've been told that in good authority. We'll find out about it, I'm sure. If it happens, we'll be very upset."