Khamenei Says ‘Rioters Must Be Put In Their Place’ As Protests Continue
Ali Khamenei said on Saturday that Iranian authorities would engage with protesters but warned that what he described as “rioters” must be dealt with firmly.
Ali Khamenei said on Saturday that Iranian authorities would engage with protesters but warned that what he described as “rioters” must be dealt with firmly.
This is while demonstrations entered a second week across the country.
Responding to protests sparked by soaring currency prices, Khamenei said the complaints raised by shopkeepers were legitimate but drew a clear distinction between protesters and rioters.
“Protest is justified, but protest is different from rioting,” he said. “We will talk to protesters, but talking to rioters is of no use.” He added that “rioters must be put in their place”.
Khamenei described protests by shopkeepers over the sharp rise in the price of the US dollar as “justified”, but claimed it was unacceptable for what he called “threatened individuals and enemy mercenaries” to stand behind demonstrators and chant slogans against Islam, Iran and the Islamic Republic.
The supreme leader blamed the surge in the dollar’s value on “the enemy” and called on Iran’s president to address the issue.
Last week, a record-breaking fall in the national currency triggered a fresh wave of protests across Iran. On Sunday, the US dollar briefly traded above 144,000 tomans, prompting shopkeepers and traders to take to the streets in several cities.
Over the past seven days, the demonstrations spread nationwide and were met with a crackdown by Iran’s security forces.
Speaking on Saturday, January 3, Khamenei said Iran would not back down under pressure. “We will not retreat in the face of the enemy,” he said. “By relying on God and with confidence in the support of the people, we will bring the enemy to its knees.”
