TEHRAN, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said on Saturday that Iran had defeated the United States and Israel "once again" and had "extinguished the sedition" he alleged was incited by Washington and Tel Aviv.

Speaking during an address marking a religious holiday, Khamenei's remarks came as Iranian authorities appeared to have brought the weeks-long nationwide protests under control.

"It was clearly an American sedition. The Americans had planned it," Khamenei said. "America's goal is to swallow up Iran."

He described U.S. President Donald Trump as a "criminal" for his administration's support of the demonstrations, accusing Washington of causing economic and social harm to the Iranian people.

Khamenei noted that while past unrest in Iran involved mainly U.S. media and lower-level Western officials, the recent unrest was different, with the U.S. president personally intervening, commenting publicly, and encouraging "seditionists" by pledging military support.

Trump, who supported Israel during its 12-day conflict with Iran in June, had repeatedly threatened military action against Tehran if protesters were killed.

As with the earlier conflict, Khamenei said the recent unrest was defeated by the Iranian people. "This is not enough, and the United States must be held accountable," he added.

"Iran will not engage in war, but it will not refrain from punishing those responsible for unrest, both inside the country and abroad," he said.

Protests began in late December in several Iranian cities, initially driven by the sharp depreciation of the rial and rising inflation. While authorities acknowledged the legitimacy of economic grievances, they said lawful demonstrations had been hijacked by "vandals."

The unrest escalated in early January, turning increasingly violent and causing casualties as well as extensive damage to public property, including mosques and government buildings. The semi-official Tasnim news agency reported on Friday that security forces had detained about 3,000 people in connection with the "riots."