"Confused Clown": Iran Minister Slams Zelensky Over Protest Crackdown Remarks

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi launched a scathing attack on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky after he accused the Islamic Republic of killing people to stay in power. Calling Zelensky a "confused clown", Araghchi said that the Ukrainian leader had been "rinsing American and European taxpayers to fill the pockets of his corrupt generals."

Taking to X, Araghchi wrote, "The world has had enough of Confused Clowns, Mr. Zelensky." He said that Iranians know how to defend themselves and "have no need to beg foreigners for help."

Zelensky, whose country has been fighting the full-scale Russian invasion for almost four years, said in a speech at the World Economic Forum on Thursday that if Iran's clerical leadership were able to remain in power, it would be a "clear signal to every bully".

.@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.

At the same time, he openly and unashamedly calls for unlawful U.S. aggression against… pic.twitter.com/a8wWmXzWno

— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) January 23, 2026

"What will Iran become after this bloodshed? If the regime survives, it sends a clear signal to every bully -- kill enough people, and you stay in power," he said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is an ally of Iran, and only last week the two countries had decided to ramp up bilateral ties. Ukraine and the West accuse Iran of providing drones and ballistic missiles to Russia for use in Ukraine. However, Tehran has repeatedly denied sending any weapons to Russia.

Zelensky criticised Western inaction for the deaths in Iran. "There was so much talk about the protests in Iran -- but they drowned in blood. The world has not helped enough the Iranian people, it has stood aside," he said, speaking in English.

He said that by the time politicians came back to work from Christmas and New Year holidays, "the ayatollah has already killed thousands".

Iranian authorities have said that over 3,000 people died in protests against the Islamic Republic of Iran but said that the violence was backed by the United States and Iran.

Rights groups, however, say the toll is far higher and could be as much as 20,000, adding that confirming the numbers is hugely impeded by the now two-week shutdown of the internet in Iran.