Iran’s president warns strikes on Khamenei would lead to ‘all-out war’

Tehran: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian warned that any attack on Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei would be considered a declaration of “all-out war” against the Iranian nation, following a sharp exchange of rhetoric with US President Donald Trump.

Pezeshkian’s comments, posted on social media platform X, come amid heightened tensions after Trump told Politico on Saturday that it was “time to look for new leadership in Iran.”

“Any attack on our great leader will be tantamount to an all-out war against the Iranian nation,” Pezeshkian wrote.

The Iranian president also blamed Washington for the country’s economic struggles, citing “longstanding hostility” and “inhumane sanctions” imposed by the United States and its allies as the primary drivers of hardship for the Iranian people, Xinhua news agency reported.

The diplomatic spat intensified earlier on Saturday when Khamenei labeled Trump a “criminal,” holding him responsible for casualties and damages sustained during recent periods of domestic unrest in Iran.

Trump called for an end to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s decades-long rule, saying the country needs new leadership as it faces sustained public unrest.

Speaking to Politico on Saturday, Trump said, “It’s time to look for new leadership in Iran,” following weeks of protests that have rocked the Islamic Republic. The demonstrations have been driven by public anger over political repression, economic hardship, and human rights abuses.

Trump strongly criticised Iran’s leadership, accusing it of governing through violence and fear. Referring to alleged executions, he told the publication, “The best decision he ever made was not hanging more than 800 people two days ago.”

The US president argued that Iran’s current leadership depends on repression to remain in power and blamed Khamenei for what he described as the country’s downfall. Trump accused the supreme leader of presiding over the “complete destruction of the country” and of using unprecedented levels of violence to suppress dissent.

Relations between Tehran and Washington have remained fraught since Trump’s return to the White House, characterized by a continuation of the “maximum pressure” policy and frequent verbal confrontations between the two leaderships.

IANS