ISTANBUL

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on Friday warned protesters against "collaboration with foreigners," condemning US President Donald Trump for exploiting public unrest and calling for unity in the nation.

“I cannot tolerate collaboration with foreigners,” Khamenei said in a public address. “If you are an agent collaborating with foreigners, you will be immediately rejected by the Iranian people and the Iranian regime.”

“His hands are tainted with the blood of the Iranians. And then he claims to be on the side of the Iranian people. He is irresponsible. He does not care about civilians,” he added, lambasting Trump.

“They, those protesters, could believe him. They burn waste bins just to please him.”

He called on the public to “maintain readiness and unity,” saying “the nation will overcome any enemy.”

The remarks came amid heightened tensions in Iran, where waves of protests have continued since late December over economic and social grievances.

Demonstrations began on Dec. 28 at Tehran’s Grand Bazaar following a sharp depreciation of the Iranian rial and worsening economic conditions, later spreading to several other cities nationwide.

Iranian authorities have not released official casualty figures, but the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported on the 12th day of the unrest that at least 42 people had been killed, including eight security personnel, with dozens injured and 2,277 arrested.

Trump said Thursday that the US will hit Iran “very hard” if it starts killing the protesters.

“If they start killing people, which they tend to do during their riots, they have lots of riots. If they do it, we're going to hit them very hard,” Trump said in an interview with the Hugh Hewitt Show.

“They've been told very strongly, even more strongly than I'm speaking to you right now, that if they do that, they're going to have to pay hell,” he added.