Iran’s President Blames U.S. for Domestic Crisis

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has accused the United States of being responsible for the current crisis in Iran, citing “inhumane” sanctions. He cautioned that any attack on Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei would be viewed as an “all-out war” against the Iranian state.

In a Farsi-language post he shared on Sunday, Pezeshkian stated, “One of the main reasons for the difficulties and hardships in the lives of the Iranian people is the longstanding hostility and inhuman sanctions imposed by the United States government and its allies.”

He emphasized, “An attack on our country’s supreme leader is tantamount to an all-out war with the Iranian state.”

This commentary underscores the Iranian government’s strategy to garner domestic support for the supreme leader while deflecting responsibility for internal issues onto foreign foes, particularly the U.S.

Critics quickly noted the hypocrisy in Pezeshkian’s stance. They pointed out that the Iranian regime has previously attempted assassinations against American leaders, including former President Trump and other high-ranking officials.

Iran analyst Jason Brodsky remarked, “Here is the president of the Iranian regime warning that any attack on the supreme leader is tantamount to war against the Islamic Republic. The fear is clear. But what he doesn’t say is that the Iranian regime is already trying to kill President Trump and multiple current and former U.S. officials.” He added that these long-standing conspiracies have essentially led the Iranian regime to declare war on the United States.

Len Khodorkovsky, a former senior U.S. State Department official, posed a thought-provoking question regarding the regime’s repeated assassination attempts on the supreme leader, asking, “What do these mean?”

Pezeshkian’s warning follows nearly three weeks of unrest in Iran and a surge in anti-American rhetoric from senior officials. Recently, Ayatollah Khamenei publicly accused President Trump of inciting violent protests that resulted in numerous deaths in Iran, claiming that “the Iranian state has defeated the United States.”

Khamenei further stated that “the United States must take responsibility,” while also predicting Trump’s imminent “defeat.”

Since the protests erupted, over 16,000 demonstrators have participated, starting with strikes in Tehran’s commercial areas. Tragically, many have lost their lives as authorities continue a widespread crackdown and impose nationwide internet disruptions. Despite Iran’s attempts to blame Washington, analysts believe the chaos largely stems from years of economic mismanagement and political oppression, along with the regime’s failure to stabilize a plummeting currency.

Pezeshkian’s comments coincided with remarks by former U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Dan Shapiro, who suggested Trump could act against Khamenei soon. Trump himself recently called for “new leadership” in Iran, attributing the regime’s failures to poor governance rather than external pressures.

As tensions escalate, the U.S. has begun to follow up its warnings with tangible actions, both military and economic. The Department of Defense confirmed the redeployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group to the Middle East, part of a broader response to increasing threats and unrest in Iran.

Alongside military posturing, the U.S. also intensified its economic measures against Iran’s leadership. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced new comprehensive sanctions targeting key regime figures and financial networks associated with the government, suggesting that Iranian leaders are fleeing the country as they blame the U.S. for their actions and ongoing issues.