Alex Ritson

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has for the first time acknowledged that in his words, a few thousand people were murdered in the Islamic Republic during the recent anti-government protests, which were sparked by a cost of living crisis.

In a televised address, he also said they were killed with the utmost inhumanity, pure savagery.

But the Supreme Leader blamed what he called agents, adding that President Trump was responsible for the deaths and that he was personally involved in the unrest.

We do consider the US President a criminal because of casualties and damages, because of accusations against the Iranian nation, said Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Mr Trump recently urged Iranian demonstrators to keep protesting and threatened military intervention if security forces kill them.

According to the US-based Iranian human rights activist's news agency, the number of dead is just over 3,000.

Despite a near total internet blackout, the BBC has received voice messages from a woman who has been speaking to her sister in Tehran and from two others inside Iran.

They are read by our producers.

Now it is Trump's duty to support the people.

People's hopes are pinned on Trump's words.

I consider part of the blood that has been shed to be Trump's responsibility.

The Supreme Leader, despite his age, remains defiant.

He said that the Iranian nation must break the back of the seditionists just as it broke the back of the sedition.

So how significant is this speech from the Ayatollah?

Here's Siavash Adelan from BBC Persian.

Siavash Adelam.

The 81-year-old president of Uganda, Yoweri Museveni, has been in power for 40 years and to no one's great surprise, he's just been declared the winner again for a seventh term.

Official results gave him nearly 72% of the vote against 25% for his main challenger, Bobby Wine.

Election observers say the campaign was marred by widespread repression, including an internet shutdown which has now been lifted.

Benjamin Katana is a senior opposition party official.