Khamenei labels protesters as 'rioters' and calls for their repression

Iran’s supreme leader on Saturday urged authorities to confront and suppress ongoing demonstrations across the country.

“Protest is legitimate, but protest is different from rioting. We talk to protesters, but there is no use in talking to rioters. Rioters must be put in their place,” Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said.

Some individuals had been incited from abroad, he said, accusing what he described as enemy-linked groups of positioning themselves behind merchants to chant slogans against the Islamic Republic.

“That some people, under various titles and names, come with the aim of destruction and creating insecurity, positioning themselves behind faithful, healthy and revolutionary merchants and exploiting their protests to cause unrest, is unacceptable.”

“We will not back down in the face of the enemy. Relying on God and with confidence in the support of the people, we will bring the enemy to its knees,” he added.