Tehran [Iran], January 18 (ANI): Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has publicly acknowledged for the first time that thousands of people were killed during recent nationwide protests, marking an unusual admission from the clerical leadership amid a fierce crackdown that has drawn international attention, reports Fox news.

In a televised address on Saturday, Khamenei said the unrest, which began in late December over economic hardship and wider political grievances, resulted in 'several thousand' deaths. He described some of the casualties as the result of 'inhuman, savage' conditions but shifted blame toward the United States and other foreign actors rather than Iranian security forces.

Khamenei accused US President Donald Trump of encouraging the demonstrations, which initially focused on rising costs and inflation before morphing into broader anti-regime protests, and called Trump a 'criminal' for commenting on and supporting the movement from afar. He maintained that protesters were manipulated by foreign powers and that authorities would not allow what he termed 'criminals' to go unpunished, reported Fox News.

The protests have drawn condemnation from human rights organisations, which estimate that more than 3,000 people have died in clashes between demonstrators and security forces, although exact figures remain hard to verify due in part to intermittent internet shutdowns imposed by Iranian authorities.

Responding to Khamenei's remarks, Trump intensified his rhetoric, saying it was 'time to look for new leadership' in Iran. In an interview with Politico, he criticised the clerical establishment's handling of the unrest and personally condemned Khamenei's role in the violence, describing him as unfit to lead.

'What he is guilty of, as the leader of a country, is the complete destruction of the country and the use of violence at levels never seen before,' Trump said. 'Leadership is about respect, not fear and death.'

'The man is a sick man who should run his country properly and stop killing people. His country is the worst place to live anywhere in the world because of poor leadership,' Trump added further.

The high-stakes exchange comes as global attention turns toward Iran's internal political stability and the spectre of further international pressure.

Meanwhile, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei continued accusing US. He posted on X, 'The recent sedition was orchestrated by the US. The US did the planning and took action. The US's goal is to devour Iran.'

However, daily life in Tehran and other major cities shows signs of returning to normal after weeks of protests and security operations. (ANI)