Iranian media are saying that university students invited to meet Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan harshly criticized the country's direction.

The annual gathering of students typically sees some complaints but at least one speech on Monday night frankly discussed economic troubles Iran faces after President Donald Trump's decision to pull out of the nuclear deal.

The pro-reform Mardomsalari daily quoted student Sahar Mehrabi as saying that "today, Iran is facing numerous crises."

She mentioned "intensified systematic inequality in social classes, the decline of public trust and an increase in environmental crisis and shantytowns."

Direct criticism of Khamenei, whom hard-liners view as second only to God, is rare.

Khamenei acknowledged many of the shortcomings, saying "removing problems is not as easy" as students expect.