'Confused clown': Iran minister attacks Zelenskyy for remarks against regime
What's the story
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has hit back at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after the latter accused Iran's leadership of killing its own people to stay in power. In a post on X, Araghchi called Zelensky a "confused clown" and accused him of exploiting Western support. He said, "The world has had enough of Confused Clowns, Mr Zelenskyy," adding that Iranians are capable of defending themselves and "have no need to beg foreigners for help."
Twitter Post
Iran Foreign Minister's post on Zelenskyy's remarks
.@ZelenskyyUa has been rinsing American and European taxpayers to fill the pockets of his corrupt generals and to confront what he calls an unlawful aggression in violation of the UN Charter.
— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) January 23, 2026
At the same time, he openly and unashamedly calls for unlawful U.S. aggression against… pic.twitter.com/a8wWmXzWno
WEF speech
Zelenskyy's remarks at World Economic Forum
Zelenskyy's remarks came at the World Economic Forum (WEF), where he warned that if Iran's clerical leadership survives the ongoing violence, it would send a dangerous message globally. He said, "If the regime survives, it sends a clear signal to every bully: kill enough people, and you stay in power." The Ukrainian president also slammed Western inaction over violence in Iran.
Bilateral ties
Iran's ties with Russia strengthen
Iran is widely perceived as a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, and the two countries recently decided to strengthen bilateral ties. A 20-year treaty was signed in January 2025, formalizing cooperation in defense, finance, and energy, with the intention to build economic resilience and counter sanctions. Ukraine and Western nations have accused Iran of supplying drones and ballistic missiles to Russia for use in Ukraine, allegations that Tehran has repeatedly denied.
Death toll
Iran's official death toll and human rights groups' estimates
Iranian authorities have said the unrest was backed by the United States and Israel, and more than 3,000 people were killed in protests against the Islamic Republic. However, human rights groups based in the US and Norway dispute this figure, estimating that as many as 20,000 could have died. They say verification of these numbers has been severely hampered by a prolonged internet shutdown in Iran.