Tehran (TDI): Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Saturday accused the United States, Israel and European countries of exploiting Iran’s economic difficulties and fueling unrest during recent nationwide protests, alleging foreign actors sought to destabilise the country.
Speaking in a live broadcast on state television, Pezeshkian said Western and Israeli leaders had “provoked division, supplied resources and drawn some innocent people into the movement” with the aim of “tearing the nation apart.”
The protests, which began in late December and lasted around two weeks, were triggered by an economic crisis marked by soaring inflation and rising living costs. They have largely subsided following a harsh crackdown by Iran’s clerical authorities.
US-based human rights group HRANA said at least 6,563 people were killed during the unrest, including 6,170 protesters and 214 members of the security forces. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, however, told CNN Turk that 3,100 people were killed, including around 2,000 security personnel.
Read More: Trump Signals Deadline for Iran to Enter Nuclear Talks
Pezeshkian said US President Donald Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and European leaders had “ridden on our problems” and were seeking to fragment Iranian society.
“They brought people into the streets to sow conflict, hatred and division,” he said, adding that the unrest was “not just a social protest.”
Trump has repeatedly voiced support for the demonstrators, warning that Washington was prepared to take action if Iran continued to kill protesters. US officials said on Friday that Trump was reviewing his options but had not yet decided whether to launch military action against Iran.
Meanwhile, Israel’s Ynet news website reported that a US Navy destroyer had docked at the Israeli port of Eilat, amid rising regional tensions.
Iran’s regional allies, including Turkiye, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, have intensified diplomatic efforts in recent days to prevent a military confrontation between Washington and Tehran.
Read More: Iran Stands Firm on Missiles as Turkiye Tries to Defuse US Tensions
The United States has demanded that Iran curb its missile program as a condition for resuming talks, a demand Tehran has firmly rejected. Speaking in Turkey earlier this week, Araqchi said Iran’s missile capabilities would “never be subject to negotiations.”
Responding to US threats, Araqchi said Iran was prepared for both diplomacy and conflict, while remaining open to dialogue with regional countries to promote stability.
