Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian warned Sunday that any attempt to target the country’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, would amount to a declaration of war.
His comments, quoted by The Guardian, came amid speculation that US President Donald Trump is considering an effort to assassinate or remove Khamenei.
In a post on X, Pezeshkian wrote: “An attack on the great leader of our country is tantamount to a full-scale war with the Iranian nation."
The Iranian President also accused the United States of fueling the mass protests that have swept Iran over the past two weeks, resulting in thousands of deaths among demonstrators. “If there are hardship and constraints in the lives of the dear people of Iran, one of the main causes is the longstanding hostility and inhumane sanctions imposed by the US government and its allies," he said.
The comments come a day after Trump, speaking to Politico on Saturday, called for an end to Khamenei’s nearly four decades in power, describing him as “a sick man who should run his country properly and stop killing people".
The latest wave of unrest erupted on December 28, driven by public anger over soaring inflation, a collapsing currency and severe economic hardship. Demonstrations quickly expanded from economic grievances to widespread anti-government protests demanding regime change.
On January 8, Iranian authorities imposed a near-total shutdown of internet and phone services, cutting off most global connectivity.
Last Tuesday, Trump urged Iranians to continue their protests and to “take over your institutions", adding that “help is on its way", as reports circulated that a US strike on Iran was imminent.
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.
The Washington Post reported on Saturday that late on Wednesday morning, much of the Middle East and official Washington believed Trump was on the verge of ordering punishing US airstrikes against Iran, but Trump ultimately called off the strikes after he received word through envoy Steve Witkoff that Iran had canceled the planned executions of 800 people.