January 9, 2026 l Reporter: Johnson
TEHRAN — Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on Friday publicly criticised United States President Donald Trump, accusing him of arrogance and tyrannical tendencies and likening his leadership to historical despots who eventually met their downfall, according to state media and officials.
Khamenei took to social media and made statements carried on Iranian state television, asserting that leaders who rule with “arrogance” drawing comparisons to figures such as Pharaoh, Nimrod, and Iran’s own former monarch Mohammad Reza Pahlavi are eventually overthrown or destroyed at the height of their power. He warned that Trump, whom he said judges the world with “arrogance,” should expect a similar fate.
In his remarks, Khamenei also accused the United States of encouraging unrest inside Iran, framing protesters as agents of foreign influence acting to “please” Washington a common narrative from Tehran during periods of domestic unrest. He warned that Iranians would not tolerate what he described as “mercenaries for foreigners,” emphasising national unity against external interference.
The comments come amid widespread protests and economic turmoil in Iran that have drawn global attention and criticism, with authorities imposing an internet blackout and accusing foreign governments, including the United States, of attempting to exploit the unrest. International leaders have expressed concern over reports of violence against demonstrators.
Khamenei’s pointed language underscores deepening tensions between Tehran and Washington, where longstanding disputes over regional influence, nuclear policy, sanctions and human rights continue to fuel rhetoric from both sides.