Iran has accused Washington and Israel of fuelling the widespread unrest in Iran, with US President Donald Trump said to be considering a military strike against America’s longstanding adversary to show support for protesters.
President Masoud Pezeshkian Iran’s national broadcaster IRIB that Israel and the United States were “trying to escalate these unrests with regard to the economic discussion,” adding that “They have trained some people inside and outside the country; they have brought in some terrorists from outside.” His comments were reported by Al Jazeera.
Pezeshkian’s remarks come as Trump mulls a violent retaliation against Tehran. The US president has long flirted with the idea of regime change in Iran and has openly voiced support for the protesters, saying “The USA stands ready to help” and “will come to their rescue” if any are killed.
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Western media outlets say hundreds if not thousands of protesters, along with scores of security personnel, have been killed after 15 days of turbulent unrest that has seen town centres occupied and cars and buildings burned, including many government offices. However, estimates of the death toll and damage are hard to come by as Iran has imposed an internet and telecommunications blackout.
The protests are rooted in economic grievances, such as runaway inflation, a collapsing currency and the scarcity of basic goods. But in recent days they have taken on an increasingly political tone, with some demonstrators calling for the downfall of the Islamic Republic and even the restoration of the monarchy, which was overthrown in 1979 after decades of brutal and highly repressive rule.
In a bid to quell further unrest, President Pezeshkian has said that the government is “ready to listen” to protesters to find solutions to the nation’s economic woes. Officials have raised the possibility of subsidy and tax reform, including talk of bigger public‑sector pay rises and some tax relief.
