Trump claims US armed Iranian protesters, Kurds deny

• President Donald Trump says Washington supplied weapons to Kurdish groups during Iran’s December–January protests.
• Iranian Kurdish factions reject claims, emphasizing peaceful goals and warning of reputational damage.

United States President Donald Trump has claimed that the US provided arms to Iranian Kurdish opposition groups during mass anti-government demonstrations last December and January, a move that Tehran says fueled deadly unrest.

The protests erupted amid a deepening economic crisis, quickly spreading nationwide with calls for regime change. Rights groups report thousands of casualties, primarily among young Iranians, during crackdowns on January eight and nine. Iranian authorities imposed an internet blackout, which critics say was intended to conceal the scale of the violence. Iranian officials accused the United States and ‘Israel’ of orchestrating the unrest and supplying weapons, citing at least 5,000 deaths and subsequent executions of demonstrators.

Trump details alleged weapon transfers

In a morning phone interview, Trump stated that the United States sent a substantial number of firearms to Kurdish protesters, but suggested the weapons may not have been actively used in revolt. He framed the action as consistent with earlier warnings to demonstrators that the US would intervene if Iranian forces continued lethal crackdowns.

Kurds reject allegations

Several Iranian Kurdish groups, including the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan, have strongly denied receiving American arms. Officials described Trump’s statements as baseless, stressing the group’s commitment to peaceful advocacy. Analysts suggest the remarks reflect frustration over the lack of a coordinated armed uprising, but warn that unverified claims could harm opposition cohesion and undermine their legitimacy.

Khamenei blames foreign intervention

Iran’s former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei acknowledged the high death toll but attributed it to foreign-backed groups rather than domestic security forces. He accused Trump of personal involvement in inciting unrest, framing the protests as part of long-term US and ‘Israeli’ efforts to destabilize Iran.

The claims come as the war on Iran enters its 38th day, raising new questions about the role of foreign powers in shaping internal conflict.