Iran’s President Blames U.S. for Crises, Warns Attack on Khamenei ‘All-Out War’

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian blamed the United States for Iran’s crises, accusing Washington of imposing “inhumane” sanctions while warning that any challenge to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei would amount to an “all-out war” against the Iranian nation.

In a post published Sunday, Pezeshkian wrote in Persian:

“If there is hardship and difficulties in the lives of the people of Iran, one of the main reasons is the longstanding enmity and inhumane sanctions imposed by the U.S. government and its allies.”

“An assault on our Supreme Leader is tantamount to an all-out war with the Iranian nation,” he added.

The statement reflects Tehran’s growing effort to rally domestic support around the Supreme Leader while shifting blame for Iran’s internal crisis onto foreign adversaries — particularly the United States. 

Some were quick to highlight the hypocrisy of Pezeshkian’s warning, noting that the Iranian regime has itself repeatedly targeted American leaders — including failed plots to assassinate President Trump and other senior U.S. officials.

“Here the Iranian regime president warns that any aggression against the supreme leader would amount to war against the Islamic Republic. The fear is palpable. But what he doesn’t tell you is that Iran’s regime has already tried to kill President Trump and multiple current and former U.S. officials,” wrote Iran analyst Jason Brodsky.

“So with those plots and so many more dating back to 1979, the Iranian regime has already declared war on America,” he added.

“The Islamic Republic’s President says any aggression on the mass-murdering Ayatollah Khamenei would mean war. What do repeated attempts by the regime to assassinate President?” asked former US State Department official Len Khodorkovsky.

Pezeshkian’s warning comes after nearly three weeks of unrest inside Iran and a wave of anti-American rhetoric from top officials.

Over the weekend, Supreme Leader Khamenei directly accused President Trump of inciting violent protests, calling him “guilty” of causing mass casualties and declaring, “The Iranian nation defeated the U.S.” 

He also warned that “the U.S. must be held accountable” and predicted that President Trump would be “brought down.”

Since the protests, which began with merchant strikes in Tehran, over 16,000 protesters have reportedly been killed, as the regime has imposed nationwide internet blackouts while carrying out mass arrests and lethal crackdowns.

Despite Iran’s attempts to blame Washington, the unrest has been widely attributed to years of economic mismanagement, political repression, and the regime’s failure to stabilize the collapsing rial, which has devalued more than 20,000-fold under Khamenei’s rule.

Pezeshkian’s remarks came just one day after former U.S. Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro said he believed President Trump could move to eliminate Ayatollah Khamenei in the coming days.

On Saturday, President Donald Trump publicly called for “new leadership” in Iran, rebuking Khamenei after the Supreme Leader accused him of inciting unrest inside the Islamic Republic. “It’s time to look for new leadership in Iran,” Trump said, charging that the regime’s decay stems from catastrophic governance rather than foreign pressure.

As tensions sharpened, Washington has begun backing its warnings with concrete action across both military and economic fronts.

On Thursday, the Pentagon confirmed the redeployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group from the Indo-Pacific to the Middle East — part of a broader repositioning of U.S. combat power as regional threats mount and Iran’s internal unrest deepens. Defense officials said the move is intended to ensure rapid response capability amid growing instability tied to Tehran’s conduct.

That military posture has been paired with an intensified economic campaign targeting Iran’s ruling elite.

Also on Thursday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced sweeping new sanctions against senior regime officials and regime-linked financial networks, warning that Iran’s leaders are “like rats fleeing a sinking ship” as they attempt to move tens of millions of dollars abroad while blaming Washington for the consequences of their own repression and refusal to curb illicit nuclear activity.