US President Donald Trump on Saturday issued his most explicit call yet for the removal of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, sharply escalating an already volatile exchange between Washington and Tehran. The remarks came in response to a series of online posts by Khamenei accusing Trump of provoking deadly unrest inside Iran during weeks of nationwide protests.
“It’s time to look for new leadership in Iran,” Trump told Politico, reacting to Khamenei’s statements on X that blamed the US president for violence and instability. The comment marked a clear shift toward overt regime-change rhetoric, even as demonstrations across Iran appear to be losing momentum after weeks of turmoil.
Protests, Death Toll & Trump’s Warnings
The protests began on December 28, 2025, initially driven by economic grievances before rapidly expanding into nationwide demonstrations calling for an end to clerical rule. Human rights organisations estimate that thousands of protesters have been killed over the past three weeks, a toll that prompted Trump earlier this month to warn of possible military intervention.
At various points during the unrest, Trump threatened “very strong action” if Iran carried out executions of protesters. He also urged demonstrators to seize state institutions, telling them that “help is on the way,” though no such assistance materialised. Rights groups have put the number of protesters killed by security forces at at least 3,428.
On Friday, Trump posted on social media thanking Iranian authorities for halting mass executions, a claim Tehran swiftly rejected, insisting there had been “no plan to hang people.”
Khamenei Accuses US Of ‘Grave Slander’
In his posts, Khamenei directly accused Trump of responsibility for bloodshed, destruction and what he described as repeated “slander” against the Iranian people. He condemned the US president for depicting violent groups as legitimate representatives of the nation, calling it “an appalling slander.”
The Iranian leader further alleged that the United States and Israel orchestrated the unrest, claiming their affiliated groups set fires, damaged public property and deliberately spread chaos. He described these acts as “crimes” and “grave slander,” reinforcing Tehran’s long-standing narrative that foreign powers were behind the protests, as per a report on NDTV.
After reviewing Khamenei’s statements, Trump accused Iran’s leadership of maintaining control through fear and violence, according to Politico.
Defiance From Tehran’s Leadership
In a speech marking a religious holiday, Khamenei struck a defiant tone, vowing to “break the back of the seditionists” and punish both domestic and “international criminals.” While insisting Iran would not be dragged into war, he made clear that those he held responsible for the unrest would not be spared, as per reports.
Iranian officials have consistently labelled the protests as “terrorist operations” and “riots,” framing them as part of an American conspiracy to dominate Iran politically, militarily and economically.
Reza Pahlavi’s Appeal
As tensions escalated between Washington and Tehran, renewed attention turned to calls from opposition figures abroad. Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran’s last shah, has appealed to the international community during the unrest, positioning himself as a voice for change as Iran faces one of its most serious internal crises in years.
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