US, Israeli involvement clearly visible in Iran riots: Top national security official

Larijani made the remarks in an interview with Lebanon Al Mayadeen news network late on Friday.

The US and Israel are making attempts to ignite civil war in Iran in order to lay the ground for foreign intervention, he said, adding that the armed terrorist ring leaders are attempting to create civil war in Iran.

Riots separated from people’s protests

Larijani also made comments on the riots in an interview with Iran’s national TV, IRIB, on Friday night.

He said that the riots are separated from the protests that preceded them and were staged by businesspeople against foreign currency fluctuations.

People’s protests are separated from acts of sabotage conducted using arms, Larijani said, adding that Israeli officials recently announced that, following the 12-day war against Iran in June, they would not need military action using aircraft and missiles, rather they would use “structures” they had created inside Iran for new developments.

He said that some of the people leading the riots have already been arrested and the rest will be arrested as well.

Some of the rioters have been deceived, but some others have entered the sabotage acts with prior preparedness and imported weapons, he noted, adding that they were organized and knew from where they should get weapons and how they should distribute them.  

Larijani warned that the enemy aims to target people’s unity and internal cohesion in Iran, but emphasized that it would not achieve any of its goals, as the Iranian people remain vigilant and will not allow adversaries to interfere in their country.

The enemy intends to pit two groups of people against one another, but they would fail because the Iranian people intensify solidarity when their country and national identity are threatened, he said, adding that the Iranian Armed Forces are also fully prepared to defend the country and will create more difficult conditions for the enemy than the June war.

In a related development, the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) issued a statement on the latest riots in Iran, saying that the US and Israel have not abandoned their hostilities toward the Iranian nation following their joint war against Iran in June.

“During the 12-day war and since the conflict, the Israeli regime has been pursuing its tyranny against the Iranian people through hybrid battles. It has changed tactics, but has not abandoned its warmongering toward the Iranian nation,” the statement read.

The recent incidents began with protests against market instability but they led to unrest as a result of planning by the Israeli regime, the SNSC said, adding that remarks by US President Donald Trump over the past several days indicate that Washington and the Israeli regime have made joint planning to create insecurity in Iran.

The Iranian nation, however, will foil the enemy’s projects through national solidarity, unity, and cohesion, the SNSC emphasized./irna