The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, stated publicly that former US President Donald Trump is responsible for the recent mass protests in the country. Khamenei declared that the unrest is not due to internal dissatisfaction but is a deliberate provocation from outside aimed at undermining the stability of the state.
In his speech, the head of state emphasized that the protests were fueled by the policies of the USA under Trump's leadership. These accusations follow Tehran's official line, which claims that foreign secret services and hostile powers orchestrated the demonstrations. Independent observers, however, see the main causes in the economic hardship and the restricted civil rights of the Iranian population.
Alongside the political accusations, there are signs of a slight easing of security measures. Iranian security authorities announced that the use of SMS services nationwide has been permitted again. These had been blocked during the unrest to make communication among demonstrators more difficult. However, other digital services and social media remain under strict limitations.
