January 4, 2026
Khamenei backs economic demands as protests in Iran kill at least eight
Khamenei urges dialogue with protesters but warns rioters must be dealt with severely Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. PHOTO: AFP/File Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday acknowledged the economic demands of protesters in Iran, where protests have spread to more than 20 cities, even as he warned there would be no quarter for “rioters”. The protests began on Sunday as an expression of discontent over high prices and economic stagnation, but have since expanded to include political demands. “The president and high-ranking officials are working to resolve” the economic difficulties in the sanctions-hit country, Khamenei said in a












