Iran’s supreme leader says 'thousands killed' in unrest, blames Trump and Israel

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has acknowledged that "several thousand" people were killed during recent nationwide protests that began over economic hardship. Khamenei blamed the United States and Israel for orchestrating the violence, specifically accusing US President Donald Trump of being responsible for the casualties and destruction. In response to warnings from Washington, Khamenei stated that Iran would not be dragged into war but would punish those it deemed responsible for the unrest. The official statement comes as a US-based human rights group claims a death toll of at least 3,090 people.