As protests spread, Iran intensifies its crackdown

Supreme leader denounces Trump’s threat as official likens unrest to that in U.S.

- NABIH BULOS

Iranian Leader Press Office/Anadolu

SUPREME LEADER Ayatollah Ali Khamenei decried U.S. in a speech Friday.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei delivered a defiant speech on Friday, excoriating protesters as "saboteurs" and insisting the Islamic Republic would "not back down," even as the country remains in the throes of a full communications blackout amid growing antigovernment demonstrations.

Speaking before a crowd that periodically broke into chants of "Death to America," Khamenei accused protesters of working on President Trump's behalf, saying they were acting "as mercenaries for foreigners."

"Last night in Tehran, a bunch of vandals came and destroyed buildings that belonged to them to please the U.S. president," Khamenei said, adding that Trump's hands were "stained with the blood of thousands of Iranians."

In recent days, Trump has vowed to strike Iran's leadership if government personnel kill protesters, a threat he repeated once again in an interview with Fox News late Thursday.

"If they do that, they're going to have to pay hell," Trump said, adding that the "enthusiasm to overturn that regime is incredible." Khamenei said Trump's statements "emboldened rioters and elements hostile to the nation," and that Trump would be "overthrown." "Were [Trump] truly capable of governing his own country," Khamenei said, "he would have attended to its numerous internal crises."