Iran's Leader Accuses U.S. of Sparking Unrest; Trump Fires Back

Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has publicly accused the United States of organizing the recent mass protests in his country. He claimed the U.S. created a “problem” for Iran. The protests began over economic issues but quickly turned political. They were met with a severe government crackdown by security forces. U.S. President Donald Trump responded forcefully on social media. He stated that the Iranian government should blame itself for the country's economic and leadership problems. He warned Iran against threatening the U.S. The exchange marks a sharp escalation in rhetoric between the two nations. Tensions have been high since the U.S. withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal last year.