Ayatollah Khamenei warns Iranian population of 'enemy's lies'

Iranian religious leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned the population on Saturday not to be seduced by propaganda from abroad related to the recent mass protests across the country.

"The enemy's main method today is falsification and lies," the 83-year-old head of state said. "The television channels you know and watch belong to the enemy."

Khamenei specifically named the US. Israel is also considered a sworn enemy of the Islamic country, Saudi Arabia a regional rival.

"The enemy is trying to control the brains," Khamenei told members of the paramilitary Basij militia. "This is much more valuable to the enemy than dominating territories."

For more than two months, tens of thousands have been demonstrating in Iran against the authoritarian policies of the Islamic leadership.

Police and security forces have been cracking down on the protests violently. According to human rights activists, more than 440 demonstrators have been killed. The Basij militias play a major role in this.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi announced at another meeting with militias that efforts to defend the Islamic system must be redoubled.

"The Basijs are doing a good job in confronting the rioters," Raisi praised.

The riots, often led by women, were triggered by the death of Iranian Kurd Jina Mahsa Amini on September 16. She had been arrested by the morality police for allegedly violating Islamic dress codes and died in police custody.