US President Donald Trump has openly called for an end to Iran Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s decades-long rule, saying the country needs “new leadership” as it reels under weeks of intense anti-government protests.
Speaking to Politico, Trump criticised Khamenei’s 37-year rule, accusing Iran’s leadership of surviving through fear, repression and large-scale violence. “Leadership is about respect, not fear and death,” Trump said, alleging that the Iranian regime has relied on killings and intimidation to maintain control. He described Khamenei as a “sick man” and blamed him for what he called the “complete destruction” of the country.
Trump argued that instead of focusing on governance and improving the lives of citizens, Iran’s leadership has chosen violence as a tool to suppress dissent. He claimed that the country has become “one of the worst places to live” because of its current rulers.
The remarks come amid reports that thousands of protesters have been killed during the ongoing unrest. Trump had earlier warned Tehran that the US could intervene militarily if demonstrators were harmed, though no such action followed. Iranian authorities, meanwhile, have labelled the protests as “riots” and a foreign-backed conspiracy, accusing the US of attempting to destabilise the nation.
In response to the unrest, Ayatollah Khamenei vowed to “break the back of the seditionists” and warned that both domestic and “international criminals” would face punishment. He also blamed Trump for casualties during the protests.
Adding another dimension to the crisis, exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi urged Iranians to continue protesting and called for a transition to a secular democracy through a national referendum. Pahlavi said he was ready to return to Iran and expressed hope that Trump would stand by the Iranian people.
The escalating rhetoric highlights growing tensions between Washington and Tehran, as the situation in Iran continues to draw global attention.
