Iran’s supreme leader has blamed Donald Trump for the “casualties and damages” caused by protests in Iran. Rights group say more than 3,000 were killed during the unrest, which has now subsided. Follow the latest.
Saturday 17 January 2026 16:43, UK
Thanks for following our coverage today, we’re pausing our live updates for now. Before we go, here’s a recap of the top lines we brought you:
Watch: How the Iran uprising unfolded
We heard from Iran’s exiled crown prince at a news conference in Washington DC yesterday.
Reza Pahlavi has been vocal in his support of protesters and has tried to position himself as an alternative to the regime in Tehran, but his actual levels of support remain unclear.
Here’s a recap of the seven things we learned about his plan for a new Iran…
Why he thinks regime will fall: Pahlavi said the “Islamic Republic” was not the legitimate government and “will fall – not if but when”.
Call for international action: Pahlavi has called on other countries for “urgent help” as the regime is “close to collapse”. Among the six things he is asking for are maximum economic pressure, the restoration of blocked internet access through satellite internet provision and recognition of a transition government “when the moment comes”.
‘Boots are already on ground’: Pahlavi also argued that “supporting the Iranian people is not an act of charity, nor is it unwarranted interference”. “Global stability itself depends on the removal of this regime,” he said. “This does not require putting boots on the ground – the Iranian people’s boots are already on the ground.”
His own role: Pahlavi has vowed to return to Iran and offered to lead a transition government. He said he had prepared a plan together with experts, backed by the business community.
Iran’s democratic future: Under his watch, the country would return to democracy and hold free and fair elections, Pahlavi pledged. He also said the separation of religion and state was among Iran’s core principles.
Trust in Trump: Pahlavi appealed to Donald Trump, whom he called a “man of his word”. There was strong support in America for Iranian protesters, he added, but he wouldn’t disclose if he’s held meetings with US representatives.
Peace with Israel: Pahlavi promised to normalise relations with Israel under a framework called the Cyrus Accords, parallel to the Abraham Accords between Israel and the UAE.
Watch: Who is the exiled Iranian crown prince?
While there were reports of a “very slight rise” in Iran’s internet connectivity earlier (see 7.28 post), a watchdog has warned about the Iranian regime’s plans.
Authorities intend to permanently seal the country off from the internet, according to a report from Filterwatch.
The report said the internet blackout imposed during the weeks of unrest is part of a broader plan to turn Iran into a “communication black hole under the looming dominance of the Khatam al-Anbia base” – the joint command base of the country’s armed forces.
Filterwatch also said that, according to information from Iranian government sources, the internet blackout will last until at least the Iranian new year on 20 March.
The group added that authorities are implementing a “confidential state project… to transform the country’s internet infrastructure”.
Steps are being taken to implement a “Barracks Internet”, the group said, with the collection of satellite dishes and the blocking of Starlink terminals.
Over in Italy, people have been gathering at a rally outside the Iranian consulate in Milan.
As has been a theme during the unrest, several protesters have burnt images of Iran’s supreme leader.
The act of lighting photos of the 86-year-old using cigarettes became a symbol of national defiance against his regime.
We’ve heard from Iran’s supreme leader once again today, who has targeted Donald Trump in a series of social media posts.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has accused the US president of sending “a message to the seditionists saying he would support them and provide military support”.
“In other words, the US President himself was involved in the sedition,” he wrote.
“These are criminal acts.”
In another post, Khamenei said Trump “uttered an appalling slander against the Iranian people”.
“We find the US president guilty for this slander,” he added.
It follows similar comments during his speech earlier today, in which he branded Trump a “criminal” for supporting protesters in Iran.
See our 13.50 post for a summary of what Khamenei had to say earlier.
Despite a “very slight rise” in connectivity in Iran (see 7.28 post), the internet shutdown has lasted more than 200 hours.
It means there’s been a limited amount of pictures and footage we’ve been receiving from the weeks of unrest.
According to several reports, the prison in the city of Ilam is overcrowded with detained and arrested protesters.
The court halls are filled with the families of detainees, and lawyers aren’t being allowed to defend those who have been arrested.
There are also reports of special vehicles being used to search for Starlink equipment.
It comes after there were reports earlier this week suggesting Starlink had waived monthly subscription payments for users inside Iran who have a router.
We’ve brought you several comments from Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei today.
Most have come from a speech he gave which was broadcast by state television this morning, which we now have seen in full.
Here are the key points from his address:
While it appears that protests in Iran have now lulled, Donald Trump’s open threats against Tehran will linger for some time.
Lead world news presenter Yalda Hakim recently sat down with two Iranian-American women to hear the views of the Iranian diaspora o whether they want US intervention in Iran.
In this episode of the World, she speaks to Azadeh Afsahi, a human rights activist, and Moj Mahdara, who set up the Iranian Diaspora Collective, about their motherland, their relationship to it and what they want to happen next.
Iran has reportedly begun easing the communication restrictions imposed during the anti-government protests.
The semi-official Fars news agency said this morning that authorities had restored the short messaging service (SMS) nationwide as part of a phased plan after eight days of near-total internet disruption.
Quoting officials, the agency reported that the decision followed what it described as the “stabilisation” of the security situation and the detention of key figures linked to “terror organisations”.
They said they would gradually lift other internet and communications controls.
The son of Iran’s former shah has predicted the country’s Islamic regime will fall and claimed he is “uniquely” placed to head a successor government.
Speaking in the US yesterday, the exiled crown prince said he would take the power “taken by this regime” and put it back in the hands of the Iranian people.
US correspondent James Matthews asked Pahlavi about fears that instating him as leader would mean swapping one dictator for another.
Watch his response below…
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