Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has for the first time officially acknowledged that "several thousand" individuals were killed during the recent wave of anti-government protests that have gripped the country since late December 2025. This admission was made during a televised speech on January 17, 2026. The protests, reportedly the most significant since the 2022 demonstrations, initially erupted over severe economic hardship and rapidly escalated into widespread discontent against the clerical establishment across numerous cities and provinces. Khamenei vehemently blamed the United States and Israel for orchestrating the unrest, describing the protesters as "seditionists" and "foot soldiers" of foreign adversaries. He accused Washington of responsibility for the casualties and damage, although reports from external sources referencing former U.S. President Donald Trump's involvement in current events appear to be erroneous or hypothetical given real-world timelines. Human rights organizations, such as the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), have reported a significantly higher death toll, with estimates ranging from over 3,000 to as many as 20,000 deaths. Reports indicate that the Iranian security forces employed brutal tactics, including firing on unarmed protesters from rooftops and imposing severe internet and mobile service blackouts to suppress information flow. The international community has widely condemned the violent crackdown and the excessive use of force against civilians, calling for restraint and accountability.