‘Confused clown’: Iran foreign minister targets Zelensky after Iran protest remarks

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Friday launched a personal attack on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, days after the Ukrainian leader accused Iran’s rulers of killing their own citizens to remain in power.

Responding to Zelensky’s remarks on X, Araghchi dismissed him as a “confused clown” and accused him of exploiting Western financial support. “The world has had enough of Confused Clowns, Mr. Zelensky,” Araghchi wrote, alleging that the Ukrainian president had been “rinsing American and European taxpayers” to enrich what he described as corrupt military leaders.

Araghchi added that Iranians were capable of defending themselves and had “no need to beg foreigners for help.”

Zelensky’s comments, which triggered Tehran’s response, were made during an address at the World Economic Forum (WEF) on Thursday. Referring to unrest in Iran, he warned that the survival of the clerical leadership would set a dangerous global precedent.

“If the regime survives, it sends a clear signal to every bully: kill enough people, and you stay in power,” Zelensky said.

Ukraine has been fighting a full-scale Russian invasion for nearly four years. Iran remains a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, and both countries moved last week to further strengthen bilateral ties. Ukraine and several Western governments have accused Iran of supplying drones and ballistic missiles to Russia for use in the war — claims Tehran has repeatedly denied.

Zelensky also criticised what he called Western inaction over violence in Iran. “There was so much talk about the protests in Iran, but they drowned in blood. The world has not helped the Iranian people enough; it has stood aside,” he said in English.

He further claimed that by the time politicians returned from year-end holidays, “the ayatollah has already killed thousands.”

Iranian authorities have said more than 3,000 people were killed during protests against the Islamic Republic, while insisting the unrest was instigated by the United States and Israel. Human rights organisations dispute the official figures, estimating the death toll could be as high as 20,000, and say independent verification has been hampered by prolonged internet shutdowns in Iran.