Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Saturday that US, Israeli, and European leaders had taken advantage of Iran’s economic difficulties, stirred unrest, and supplied people with the means to “tear the nation apart” during recent protests.
US President Donald Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Europeans “rode on our problems, provoked, and were seeking — and still seek — to fragment society,” Pezeshkian said.
He added, “They brought them into the streets and wanted, as they said, to tear this country apart, to sow conflict and hatred among the people. In a live state TV broadcast, Pezeshkian said the US, Israeli, and European leaders tried to “provoke, create division, and supplied resources, drawing some innocent people into this movement.”
He further said that it was clear the matter involved more than just a social protest.
Iran protests
The nationwide protests, which lasted two weeks and began in late December over an economic crisis marked by soaring inflation and rising living costs, have eased following a violent crackdown by the clerical authorities. According to the US-based rights group HRANA, at least 6,563 people were killed, including 6,170 protesters and 214 security personnel.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told cnn Turk that the death toll included 3,100 people, of whom 2,000 were security forces.
Trump has consistently expressed support for the protesters, warning that the US was ready to act if Iran continued to target them. On Friday, US officials said Trump was considering his options but had not yet made a decision on striking Iran, according to reuters.
Meanwhile, Israel’s Ynet news reported that a US Navy destroyer had arrived at the Israeli port of Eilat on Friday.
Regional allies, including Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia, have been pursuing diplomatic efforts to prevent a military confrontation between Washington and Tehran.
The US has insisted that Iran limit its missile program as a condition for resuming talks, but Iran has rejected that demand.
Speaking in Turkey on Tuesday, Foreign Minister Araqchi stated that missiles would never be a topic for negotiations. In response to US threats of military action, Araqchi said Tehran is prepared for either negotiations or conflict and is also willing to work with regional countries to advance stability and peace.
Araqchi informed CNN Turk, “Regime change is a complete fantasy. Some have fallen for this illusion. “Our system is so deeply rooted and so firmly established that the comings and goings of individuals make no difference.”
(With inputs from agency)
