Iran’s supreme leader has publicly acknowledged for the first time that thousands of people were killed during recent anti-government protests, according to reporting from the Donald Trump escalated his rhetoric and called for new leadership in Iran.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei made the remarks during a public address Saturday, blaming the U.S. for the unrest and violence and saying some protesters died "in an inhuman, savage manner," the BBC reported.
The protests, which began in late December over economic conditions, later expanded into calls for an end to Iran’s ruling system.
U.S.-based Iranian Human Rights Activists News Agency estimates that more than 3,000 people were killed over roughly three weeks of unrest, though Iranian authorities have not released an official death toll.
According to the BBC, nationwide internet shutdowns have made independent verification difficult, with connectivity dropping to roughly 2% of normal levels, citing data from cyber monitoring group NetBlocks.
Videos authenticated by BBC Persian and BBC Verify show Iranian security forces firing on demonstrators during the unrest.
Trump told the killings had stopped.
"The best decision he ever made was not hanging more than 800 people two days ago," Trump told Politico, when asked about the scope of potential U.S. military action.
In a series of X posts, Khamenei accused Trump of responsibility for the violence, writing, "We find the US President guilty due to the casualties, damages and slander he inflicted upon the Iranian nation."
In another post, Khamenei claimed, "The US's goal is to devour Iran."
Trump has said in recent days he was looking at "very strong options," including possible military involvement.
The State Department did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.