Iran lashes back at President Trump, vowing to show 'what kind of stance' the nation takes 'when threatened'


Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei thanked President Donald Trump on Tuesday for revealing "the real face of the United States."
"What we have been saying, for over 30 years, about political, economic, moral, and social corruption within the U.S. ruling establishment, [Trump] came out and exposed during the election campaigns and after the elections," said Khamenei. "Now, with everything he is doing — handcuffing a child as young as 5 at an airport — he is showing the reality of American human rights."
Iran is one of seven nations affected by President Trump's executive order imposing strong travel restrictions on predominately Muslim countries.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Khamenei also dismissed a tweet by President Trump that criticized Iran for not appreciating how "kind" former President Barack Obama was:
"The new U.S. president says Iran should thank Obama! Why? Should we thank him for [creating] ISIS, the ongoing wars in Iraq and Syria, or the blatant support for the 2009 sedition in Iran?" said Khamenei. "He was the president who imposed paralyzing sanctions on the Iranian nation; of course, he did not achieve what he desired. No enemy can ever paralyze the Iranian nation."
Al Jazeera's Tehran-based Dorsa Jabbari commented on Khamenei's remarks: "This is the first time the supreme leader, the highest authority in the republic, has responded to Donald Trump's comments and threats towards Iran [with] very strong words," Jabbari said.
Khamenei additionally announced a demonstration against Trump on Feb. 10: "Trump says fear me! No. The Iranian nation will respond to your comments with a demonstration ... They will show others what kind of stance the nation of Iran takes when threatened," said Khamenei.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
-
Burkina Faso's misinformation war
Under The Radar The president of the West African country has quickly become the face of a viral, AI-powered propaganda campaign
-
Jeffrey Epstein's secrets
Feature Six years after his death, conspiracy theories still swirl around the sex trafficker. Why?
-
Voting: Trump's ominous war on mail ballots
Feature Donald Trump wants to sign an executive order banning mail-in ballots for the 2026 midterms
-
South Korea to fetch workers detained in Georgia raid
Speed Read More than 300 South Korean workers detained in an immigration raid at a Hyundai plant will be released
-
DC sues Trump to end Guard 'occupation'
Speed Read D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb argues that the unsolicited military presence violates the law
-
RFK Jr. faces bipartisan heat in Senate hearing
Speed Read The health secretary defended his leadership amid CDC turmoil and deflected questions about the restricted availability of vaccines
-
White House defends boat strike as legal doubts mount
Speed Read Experts say there was no legal justification for killing 11 alleged drug-traffickers
-
Epstein accusers urge full file release, hint at own list
speed read A rally was organized by Reps. Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie, who are hoping to force a vote on their Epstein Files Transparency Act
-
Court hands Harvard a win in Trump funding battle
Speed Read The Trump administration was ordered to restore Harvard's $2 billion in research grants
-
Florida aims to end all state vaccine requirements
Speed Read Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. continues to cut vaccine access and install anti-vaccine activists at the FDA and CDC
-
US kills 11 on 'drug-carrying boat' off Venezuela
Speed Read Trump claimed those killed in the strike were 'positively identified Tren de Aragua Narcoterrorists' shipping drugs to the US