7 hours ago
Last Updated:January 11, 2026, 16:36 IST
Khamenei’s remarks followed Trump’s public support for Iranian protesters, as demonstrations across Iran entered their second week.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and US President Donald Trump. (AP file photos)
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Sunday took a sharp swipe at US President Donald Trump, telling him to “manage his own country" after the American leader said the United States was “ready to help" amid escalating anti-government protests in Iran.
In a message shared on X, Khamenei accused Trump of backing unrest in Iran while failing to control problems at home.
“The President of the United States declared that if the Iranian government did this or that, he would side with the rioters. The rioters have placed their hopes in him. If he is so competent, let him manage his own country then," Khamenei wrote.
Le président des États-Unis a déclaré que si le gouvernement iranien faisait ceci ou cela, il se rangerait du côté des émeutiers. Les émeutiers ont placé leurs espoirs en lui. S’il est si compétent, qu’il gère donc son propre pays.— Ayatollah Khamenei (@fr_Khamenei) January 11, 2026
Khamenei’s remarks followed Trump’s public support for Iranian protesters, as demonstrations across Iran entered their second week. What began as protests over the rising cost of living have grown into a broader movement against Iran’s theocratic leadership, which has ruled the country since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Iran Protest
The protests are now seen as one of the most serious challenges to Khamenei’s rule in years. The 86-year-old leader has come under added pressure following Israel’s 12-day war against Iran in June, a conflict openly backed by the United States.
Trump has spoken out strongly in favour of the protesters and warned Iranian authorities against using deadly force. He has even threatened military action “if they start killing people", a statement that further raised tensions between Washington and Tehran.
Iran’s leadership has responded with firm warnings of its own. On Sunday, parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Iran would retaliate if the US launched any military strike. Speaking on state television, he said US military bases, shipping centres and what he called “occupied territory" would be considered legitimate targets. His remarks appeared to include Israel, which Iran does not recognise and refers to as occupied Palestinian land.
US Protests
While Trump has focused attention on Iran, unrest has also been unfolding at home in the United States. On Saturday, thousands of demonstrators marched through the streets of Minneapolis, chanting the name of a woman killed by a federal immigration agent earlier this week.
The protests were driven by anger over the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown and the use of force by federal officers. Demonstrators gathered under the slogan “ICE, Out for Good", a direct reference to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.
Organisers said more than 1,000 protest events were planned across the country. The slogan also honoured Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother who was shot dead in her car by an ICE agent on Wednesday.
(With inputs from AFP)
First Published:
January 11, 2026, 16:35 IST
News world 'Manage Your Own Country': Iran's Khamenei Message To Trump After US 'Ready To Help' Remarks
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