Focus on Your Own Country: Khamenei Tells Trump Amid Rising Unrest in Iran

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has urged US President Donald Trump to focus on the domestic issues within the United States rather than interfering in Iranian affairs.

The remark, made on Friday (January 9), is widely seen as a response to Trump’s earlier warning that Washington is "monitoring the situation closely" and would respond sternly if Iran resorts to lethal force against protesters, as it has in the past.

The exchange comes as Iran grapples with nearly two weeks of intensifying protests sparked by the rising cost of living. Footage from across the country shows demonstrators chanting anti-government slogans and, in some cases, setting fire to government buildings. To curb the movement, Iranian authorities implemented a total nationwide internet shutdown on Thursday night. According to NetBlocks, an internet monitoring organization, the country remained effectively offline for 12 consecutive hours in an effort to suppress the unrest.

According to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, at least 34 protesters and four security personnel have been killed in the violence so far, with approximately 2,200 people reportedly arrested. Analysts suggest that the current wave of protests and the resulting violence reflect a deep-seated frustration and growing public resentment toward the existing political and economic system in Iran.