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Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has warned the United States to tread carefully, saying any aggression against Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei would amount to an “all-out war” with the Iranian nation. His remarks come as Iran continues to be gripped by widespread unrest and as US President Donald Trump signals the possibility of intervention.

In a post on X on Sunday, Pezeshkian also accused Washington of being directly responsible for the hardships faced by ordinary Iranians, blaming long-standing US sanctions for the country’s economic pain.

Pezeshkian Blames US Sanctions For Iran’s Suffering

“If the people of Iran face hardship and difficulties in their lives, one of the main reasons for it is the longstanding enmity and inhumane sanctions imposed by the United States government and its allies,” Pezeshkian wrote.

He added that any move against Iran’s top leader would be treated as an attack on the nation itself. “Any aggression against the Supreme Leader of our country is tantamount to all-out war against the Iranian nation,” the president said.

Trump Signals Possible Action Over Crackdown

The warning follows a series of remarks by President Trump suggesting the US could intervene in Tehran over the violent suppression of protests. Last week, Trump told reporters that Iran had “crossed a red line” in its handling of demonstrators.

“It looks like the line has been crossed,” he said, referring to reports of killings. “Some people, who were not supposed to be killed, have been killed. If you talk about leaders, I don’t know if they are leaders or just rule through violence. But we and the military are looking at it very seriously, and we are looking at some very strong options.”

Iran has been shaken by mass protests since December, initially sparked by soaring inflation and the sharp decline of the rial. What began as demonstrations over economic distress quickly evolved into nationwide protests against the ruling establishment.

According to the US-based Human Rights News Agency, nearly 4,000 people have been killed during the unrest. An Associated Press report said the group has verified 3,919 deaths so far, while around 24,000 protesters have been arrested. Officials have warned that the death toll could rise further.

Iranian authorities have not released an official figure for those killed. On Saturday, Supreme Leader Khamenei said the protests had left “several thousand” people dead and blamed the United States for the violence.