Iran's Leader Finally Speaks on Protest Deaths

Iran's top leader has finally spoken about the many lives lost during recent protests. He said that thousands died, some in very cruel ways. But he blamed the U. S. for the deaths. The protests started in late December over money troubles but quickly turned into calls to end the leader's rule. The government calls them riots backed by enemies. Many people have been killed, with numbers ranging from thousands to possibly more. The internet in Iran is almost completely shut down. This makes it hard to know what's really happening. Some say things are calming down, but others say security forces are still out in full force.The U. S. president has been talking about the protests too. He told people to keep protesting and even threatened military action if things got worse. But he also said the killing might have stopped. The U. S. has pulled some troops from a base in Qatar as a precaution. Iran's leader called the U. S. president a criminal and said America wants to take over Iran. The U. S. says Iran might be planning to attack American bases. They warned Iran not to mess with the president. With the internet down and both sides talking tough, it's unclear what will happen next. The world watches and waits.