The warning from Iran president comes amid renewed threats from US President Donald Trump and intensifying nationwide protests in Iran over economic hardship and political repression.
BY PC Bureau
January 19, 2026: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Sunday warned that any aggression against Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei would be treated as a declaration of war against Iran, sharply escalating rhetoric amid continuing nationwide protests and growing pressure from the United States.
In a post on social media platform X, Pezeshkian said any unjust action by Washington would invite a “harsh and regrettable” response from Tehran. He asserted that targeting the Supreme Leader would amount to “all-out war against the Iranian nation,” and blamed the United States and its allies for the economic hardships faced by ordinary Iranians.
“If the people of Iran are facing difficulties in their daily lives, one of the main reasons is the longstanding hostility and inhumane sanctions imposed by the US government and its allies,” the Iranian president said.
Pezeshkian’s warning came after US President Donald Trump issued repeated threats of intervention, citing reports of protesters being killed or executed. In an interview with Politico on Saturday, Trump said it was “time to look for new leadership in Iran,” further heightening tensions between the two countries.
Iran President Pezeshkian warns attacking Iranian supreme leader would mean “total war”
🅱️lames US sanctions and longtime Western hostility for hardships
Sunday Times: doctors report 16,500 killed during Iran protests
Trump called Khamenei “a sick man” who should be replaced pic.twitter.com/9IppNeAAIb
— Boi Agent One (@boiagentone) January 18, 2026
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The scale of casualties from the protests remains disputed. Reuters quoted an Iranian official in the region as saying that at least 5,000 people, including around 500 security personnel, had been killed. However, a report by doctors on the ground, cited by The Sunday Times, claimed that at least 16,500 protesters had died and more than 330,000 were injured, with most victims believed to be under the age of 30. US-based rights group HRANA has confirmed 3,308 deaths so far and reported over 24,000 arrests, with thousands of cases still under review.
Meanwhile, internet access across Iran was again disrupted after a brief restoration of limited services. Internet monitor Netblocks said traffic levels dropped sharply on Sunday following a heavily filtered return of select services, restricting the flow of information from protest-hit areas.
Former Indian diplomat KP Fabian said the unrest was closely linked to the reimposition of US sanctions. He noted that the measures, lifted during Barack Obama’s presidency, were restored after Trump’s return to office, triggering sharp price rises that sparked protests in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar before spreading nationwide.
The demonstrations, initially driven by economic grievances, have since taken on a political tone, with protesters from across social and income groups calling for an end to clerical rule, posing one of the most serious challenges to Iran’s leadership in recent years.
