At a Glance
- President Trump told Politico “it’s time to look for new leadership in Iran.”
- Ayatollah Khamenei labeled Trump “a criminal” and said key protest agitators have been detained.
- Rights monitors report 3,090 dead and 22,123 arrests since protests began.
- Why it matters: The U.S. is sending more forces to the Middle East amid rising tensions.
President Donald Trump on Saturday called for regime change in Iran as nationwide protests continue to shake the country.
Trump’s Call for New Leadership
“It’s time to look for new leadership in Iran,” Trump said in an interview with Politico.
He attacked Ayatollah Ali Khamenei directly:
- Called him “a sick man who should run his country properly and stop killing people.”
- Said Iran “is the worst place to live anywhere in the world because of poor leadership.”
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the president’s remarks.
Khamenei’s Pushback
In a defiant speech Saturday, Iran’s supreme leader accused Trump of encouraging “agitators.”
Khamenei stated:
- Iran considers Trump “a criminal, both for the casualties, for the damages, and for the slander directed at the Iranian nation.”
- Key agitators have been detained.
The country’s semiofficial Fars news agency reported that protests have largely subsided.
A spokesperson for Iran’s permanent mission to the United Nations declined to comment on Trump’s remarks.
Casualties and Arrests
The crackdown has been deadly:
- 3,090 people have been killed, according to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA).
- 22,123 arrests have been reported.
HRANA says it relies on supporters inside Iran who cross-check information; the group states its data goes through “multiple internal checks.”
Khamenei on Saturday acknowledged for the first time that thousands have been killed, an increase from a previous admission that only hundreds had died.
Mixed Signals on Executions
Earlier in the week Trump urged Iranians to “take over institutions” and promised that “help is on the way.”
On Friday he struck a different tone, saying he “greatly” respected that “over 800” scheduled hangings “have been cancelled by the leadership of Iran.”
Iran’s judiciary said Thursday that one man facing the death penalty would not be executed. The White House did not provide a source for the claim that 800 people have been spared.
U.S. Military Buildup
A U.S. official told News Of Losangeles on Wednesday that the Defense Department is preparing to send additional forces and assets to the Middle East.
The deployments are intended to:
- Bolster regional security
- Prepare for potential retaliation by Iran
Assets include:
- A carrier strike group
- Additional aircraft
- Land-based air defense systems
The U.S. also began evacuating key personnel from its largest military base in the Middle East on Wednesday as Trump weighed potential military action in Iran.
Key Takeaways
- Trump has openly endorsed regime change in Tehran.
- Khamenei is blaming external actors while tightening domestic control.
- Rights monitors document thousands of protest-related deaths.
- American military assets are flowing into the region, raising the prospect of direct confrontation.
