Iran’s president says attacking Khamenei would be an ‘act of war’

Pezeshkian’s remarks came a day after Trump sharply escalated his criticism of Khamenei, calling him “a sick man” and saying, “It’s time to look for new leadership in Iran.”

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian warned that any attack on Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei would constitute an act of war, responding to escalating rhetoric from President Donald Trump calling for new leadership in Iran.

In a post on X, Pezeshkian said that “an attack on the great leader of our country is tantamount to a full-scale war with the Iranian nation,” framing threats against Khamenei as a direct confrontation with Iran itself.

He also blamed the United States and its allies for economic hardship inside the country, as nationwide protests that began last month over rising prices and economic pressure evolved into mass demonstrations against the regime. Thousands were reported killed during the unrest.

Pezeshkian’s remarks came a day after Trump sharply escalated his criticism of Khamenei, calling him “a sick man” and saying, “It’s time to look for new leadership in Iran,” according to Politico.The comments appeared to mark the first time Trump directly questioned the supreme leader’s continued rule rather than criticizing Iran’s system more broadly.

Trump said his comments followed what he described as hostile social media posts from Khamenei, who had accused the US president of provoking unrest and labeled him a criminal over protest-related deaths.

Trump responded by placing personal responsibility on the Iranian leader, accusing him of destroying the country through repression and violence.

“The man is a sick man who should run his country properly and stop killing people,” Trump said, adding that Iran’s conditions reflected what he described as catastrophic leadership. He later expanded on the point, saying Khamenei was guilty of “the complete destruction of the country and the use of violence at levels never seen before.”

Trump argued that governance based on fear and mass violence was incompatible with legitimate leadership. “Leadership is about respect, not fear and death,” he said, criticizing the killing of protesters “by the thousands” to maintain control.

Earlier Saturday, Khamenei acknowledged for the first time that the demonstrations had resulted in several thousand deaths, speaking in a televised address on state television. He called on authorities to suppress what he described as “sedition.”

Trump’s remarks followed a shift in his own posture toward Tehran. On Friday, he said he had backed away from the idea of striking Iran after the regime allegedly canceled the planned executions of 800 protesters.

Days earlier, Trump warned Iran against further killings. He encouraged demonstrators to “take over institutions,” promising that “help is on its way.”