Iran's president warns attack on Khamenei would trigger full-scale war

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian warned that any attack on Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei would be equivalent to a full-scale war against the Islamic Republic. 

In a post on social media platform X, Pezeshkian added that many of the difficulties faced by the Iranian people stem from long-standing hostility and inhumane sanctions imposed by the US and its allies, stressing that an attack on the Supreme Leader would be one of the gravest provocations against the country, Caliber.Az reports.

The warning comes amid widespread domestic unrest, as nationwide protests erupted in Iran on December 28, 2025, following a sharp economic collapse and the plunging value of the rial. 

The demonstrations quickly spread to major cities, marking one of the largest anti-government movements since 1979, with protesters denouncing inflation and unemployment and demanding systemic reform.

The Iranian government responded with a harsh security crackdown, deploying live ammunition, conducting mass arrests, and imposing strict communication restrictions that have limited media coverage and drawn international concern. 

Rights groups and international organisations report widespread unlawful force against largely peaceful protesters, documenting mass injuries, arrests, deaths, and serious violations of civil liberties amid the ongoing unrest.

By Jeyhun Aghazada