Trump: "Iran is the worst place in the world to live"
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- Trump calls for new leadership in Iran, says current rulers rely on repression.
- Tehran warns of retaliation as tensions widen across the region.
US President Donald Trump has called for a change of leadership in Iran, accusing Tehran’s rulers of governing through violence and repression rather than competent state management.
In remarks to Politico, Trump said it was “time to look for new leadership” in Iran, urging officials in Tehran to focus on running the country “properly” instead of, in his words, “killing thousands to stay in control.”
Trump responds to Tehran accusations
Trump described Iran as “the worst place in the world to live,” blaming what he called chronic mismanagement and authoritarian rule. He said Iran’s leadership depends on coercion and brutality to maintain power.
Read more: Trump: "No one convinced me not to attack Iran, I convinced myself"
The comments came in response to statements made Saturday by Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who accused the United States and ‘Israel’ of backing acts of sabotage and killings inside Iran. Khamenei said Tehran possessed documents and evidence proving foreign involvement in unrest that he claimed led to the deaths of thousands.
Khamenei personally accused Trump of threatening the Iranian people and inciting what he called “instigators,” labeling the US president a “criminal”. Iranian media quoted Khamenei as saying the latest incitement against Iran was different because it involved direct participation by the US president, calling on authorities to “break the backbone” of those behind the unrest.
US warnings, regional alert
The US State Department said it had received reports indicating that Iran was preparing options to target US bases. In a statement published in Persian, the department said Trump had stressed that all options remain on the table and warned that any attack on US interests would be met with “very strong and very severe force”.
The statement concluded with a blunt warning to Tehran: “Do not mess with President Trump”.
Read more: Trump: Iran seeks negotiation after warning of military intervention
Separately, The Wall Street Journal quoted the White House press secretary as saying that no one knows what decision Trump will ultimately make regarding Iran. She said the president was keeping his options open and would act in the interests of America and the world.
‘Israeli’ Channel 12 reported that the Israeli army has decided to maintain a high level of readiness in anticipation of any potential US strike on Iran.
Iranian crackdown intensifies
Iranian officials signaled no retreat at home. Tehran prosecutor general Ali Salehi said the judiciary would deal “firmly and swiftly” with cases linked to recent protests. Responding to Trump’s calls to halt executions of some detainees, Salehi said the remarks had “no basis or value”.
He added that a large number of protest-related cases had been referred to court and that indictments had been issued. State-aligned Iranian media reported the arrest of individuals described as “leaders of sedition” following what they called complex intelligence operations.
The Human Rights Activists News Agency, known as HRANA and based in the United States, said it had verified the killing of 3080 people, including 2885 protesters, and the arrest of more than 22 thousand others.
Protests lose momentum
The demonstrations began on December 28 with a strike by Tehran bazaar merchants over worsening living conditions, before expanding into a nationwide protest movement marked by political slogans. Large crowds began gathering in major cities from January 8.
Rights groups outside Iran say the protests lost momentum after a sweeping crackdown that left thousands dead and was accompanied by prolonged internet shutdowns.
As the unrest eased, Iranian authorities moved to restore daily life. Schools in Tehran and other cities reopened Sunday after being closed since January ten, and university exams postponed due to protests are set to resume from January 24, according to the ISNA news agency.
Tehran insists the protests, which it says were fueled by foreign-backed “saboteurs” and “rioters,” are now under control, while officials have pledged swift punishment for those detained.
