Iran's leader calls Trump a 'criminal' for backing protests, blames demonstrators for deaths
-File-Photo_vb_42.jpeg)
Dubai (AP): Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday branded US President Donald Trump a “criminal” for supporting protesters in Iran, and blamed demonstrators for causing thousands of deaths.
In a speech broadcast by state television, Khamenei said the protests had left “several thousand” people dead — the first indication from an Iranian leader of the extent of the casualties from the wave of protests that began December 28 and led to a bloody crackdown.
“In this revolt, the US president made remarks in person, encouraged seditious people to go ahead and said: We do support you, we do support you militarily,'" said Khamenei, who has final say on all state matters. He reiterated an accusation that the US seeks domination over Iran's economic and political resources.
“We do consider the US president a criminal, because of casualties and damages, because of accusations against the Iranian nation,” he said. He described the protesters as “foot soldiers” of the United States and said they had destroyed mosques and educational centers. “Through hurting people, they killed several thousand of them,” he said.
In response, Trump called for an end to Khamenei's nearly 40-year reign.
“The man is a sick man who should run his country properly and stop killing people,” Trump told Politico in an interview Saturday. “His country is the worst place to live anywhere in the world because of poor leadership.”
“It's time to look for new leadership in Iran," he added.
Trump had sounded a conciliatory tone
The back-and-forth rhetoric came a day after Trump sounded a conciliatory tone, saying that “Iran canceled the hanging of over 800 people,” and adding that “I greatly respect the fact that they canceled.” He did not clarify whom he spoke to in Iran to confirm the state of any planned executions. His comments were a sign he may be backing away from a military strike.
The official IRNA news agency reported that Tehran Prosecutor General Ali Salehi, referring to Trump's remarks about the cancellation of the death sentence of 800 protesters, said: “Trump always makes futile and irrelevant statements. Our attitude is severe, preventive and fast.” He did not elaborate.
In recent days, Trump had told protesting Iranians that “ help is on the way ” and that his administration would “act accordingly” if the killing of demonstrators continued or if Iranian authorities executed detained protesters.
In his speech, Khamenei said rioters were armed with live ammunition that was imported from abroad, without naming any countries.
“We do not plan, we do not take the country toward war. But we do not release domestic offenders, worse than domestic offenders; there are international offenders. We do not let them alone either,” he said, and urged officials to pursue the cases.
An uneasy calm
Iran has returned to an uneasy calm after harsh repression of protests that began December 28 over Iran's ailing economy. The crackdown has left at least 3,095 people dead, according to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, exceeding that of any other round of protest or unrest in Iran in decades and recalling the chaos surrounding the 1979 revolution.
The agency has been accurate throughout the years of demonstrations, relying on a network of activists inside Iran that confirms all reported fatalities. The AP has been unable to independently confirm the toll.
Iranian officials have repeatedly accused the United States and Israel of fomenting unrest in the country. On Friday, Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian, in a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, accused the US and Israel of meddling in the unrest.
Reports of limited internet access briefly restored
There have been no signs of protests for days in Tehran, where shopping and street life have returned to normal, and Iranian state media have not reported any new unrest.
During the protests, authorities blocked all internet access on January 8. On Saturday, text messaging and very limited internet services began functioning again briefly in parts of Iran, witnesses said.
Cellphone text messaging began operating overnight, while users were able to access local websites through a domestic internet service. Some also reported limited access to international internet services via the use of a virtual private network, or VPN.
The extent of access and what was behind it wasn't immediately clear. It's possible that officials were turning on some systems for the start of the Iranian working week, as the outage has affected businesses, particularly banks in the country, trying to handle transactions.
Internet traffic monitoring service Cloudflare and internet access advocacy group NetBlocks reported very slight increases in connectivity Saturday morning, while Iran's semiofficial Mehr news agency also reported limited internet access. It did not offer an explanation.
No new protests reported after exiled Iranian royal's call for further demonstrations
A call by Iran's exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi for protesters to take to the streets again from Saturday to Monday did not appear to have been heeded by Saturday afternoon.
Pahlavi, whose father was overthrown by Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution, enjoys support from die-hard monarchists in the diaspora but has struggled to gain wider appeal within Iran. However, that has not stopped him from presenting himself as the transitional leader of Iran if the government were to fall.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Jammu and Kashmir enter maiden Ranji Trophy final; Bengal left stunned
Kalyani (West Bengal) (PTI): Sixty seven years after their maiden appearance, Jammu and Kashmir stormed into the Ranji Trophy finals for the first time on Wednesday, upstaging two-time former champions Bengal by six wickets in the semifinals here to add another historic chapter to a fairytale season so far.
Auqib Nabi's stunning nine-wicket match haul and their IPL star Abdul Samad's fearless strokeplay ensured that the side once labelled "perennial underachievers" now stands one step away from the title.
Chasing a modest 126 at the Bengal Cricket Academy ground, J&K rode on Samad's unbeaten 30 off 27 balls (3x6, 1x4) and rookie Vanshaj Sharma's composed 43 not out off 83 ball (4x4) as the pair stitched an unbroken 55-run stand for the fourth wicket to seal history on the fourth and penultimate day of the semifinal.
In a heartwarming gesture, Samad, who had done the bulk of the damage, allowed the 22-year-old Vanshaj to finish it in style and the youngster launched Mukesh Kumar over long-on for six to spark wild celebrations in the visiting camp.
From strugglers to history-makers
======================
Jammu and Kashmir had played 334 Ranji matches before this season, winning only 45. It took them 44 years to register their first victory, against Services in 1982-83.
Knockout appearances were rare. A breakthrough came in 2013-14 when they edged Goa on net run rate to reach the quarterfinals, and in 2015-16 they stunned Mumbai at the Wankhede Stadium under state icon Parveez Rasool.
But consistency eluded them for decades as this season, under coach Ajay Sharma and captain Paras Dogra, they transformed belief into results.
After an opening loss to Mumbai, they bounced back with innings wins over Rajasthan and key victories against Delhi and Hyderabad to enter the knockouts.
A dramatic 56-run win over Madhya Pradesh in the quarterfinal, powered by Nabi’s 12/110, brought them to the semifinals for the first time.
Bengal's big names, bigger letdown
=======================
With four India internationals in Mohammed Shami, Akash Deep, Mukesh Kumar and Shahbaz Ahmed, and India A star batter Abhimanyu Easwran along with home advantage to boot, this was Bengal's game to lose.
They did exactly that after folding for 99 in 25.1 overs on day three that set Jammu and Kashmir a paltry 126 to win.
Resuming at 43/2 on the penultimate day, J&K lost an early wicket but Bengal failed to sustain pressure despite Akash Deep's relentless 15-over morning spell (3/46) and Shami's probing 1/24 from 24 overs.
There were anxious moments when Shubham Pundir was cleaned up and Dogra edged behind -- a low diving catch by Abishek Porel off Akash Deep eventually upheld after review.
But Bengal looked fatigued and short of ideas once Samad counterattacked. The IPL batter, retained by Lucknow Super Giants, turned the tide in a single over against Akash Deep that fetched 18 runs.
He did not spare Shahbaz either, dancing down the track to deposit him over mid-wicket and then through covers as J&K crossed the 100-run mark.
From there, shoulders dropped in the Bengal camp.
The introduction of part-time options and a visible dip in intensity underlined a campaign that promised much but fizzled when it mattered most.
Nabi's season for the ages
==================
The foundations of Jammu and Kashmir's win, however, were laid by Nabi.
"Last time we missed it in the quarters but we did all the hard work and we deserved it," said Nabi after winning the man-of-the-match.
The 29-year-old pacer followed his 12-wicket match haul in the quarterfinal against Madhya Pradesh with another devastating effort, finishing with nine wickets in the match, including a five-for in the first innings, to take his season's tally to 55 wickets at an average of under 13.
Nabi had also contributed with the bat playing a decisive knock at No.9.
J&K had posted 302 in their first innings, reducing the deficit to 26, thanks to Dogra's gritty 58 (112 balls), Samad's counterattacking 82 (85 balls) and a crucial late surge from Nabi (42 off 54) and Yudhvir Singh (33) in a 64-run last-wicket stand.
Dogra's milestone
===========
For 41-year-old captain Paras Dogra, it was a week of personal and collective milestones.
In a career spanning 24 years across Himachal Pradesh, Pondicherry and now J&K, Dogra also became only the second batter after Wasim Jaffer to score 10,000 Ranji Trophy runs.
Introduced to the game by his father Kultar, Dogra's journey has been one of endurance and quiet steel.
"It's a big achievement, never thought about it. I enjoyed the journey full of ups and downs. The game makes you a strong human being," Dogra said.
His resolute half-century in a 143-run partnership with Samad in the first innings set the tone for the side's resilience.
