Iran’s foreign minister blames Israel, US for nationwide unrest

“Israel and the United States bear responsibility for the riots,” Araghchi said. “Iran will take revenge.”

By World Israel News Staff

Iran’s foreign minister on Monday sharply escalated his rhetoric over the nationwide unrest, accusing Israel and the United States of direct responsibility for the violence and vowing retaliation.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said demonstrations that began on December 28 as protests by merchants were initially “peaceful and legitimate” and consistent with Iran’s constitution. He claimed the government quickly engaged with protesters, introduced reforms, and listened to their demands.

According to Araghchi, the situation later deteriorated when armed groups infiltrated the protests to deliberately push them toward violence.

He alleged authorities have evidence of gunfire directed at security forces to increase casualties, including audio recordings instructing individuals to open fire on civilians and police, as well as documentation showing weapons being distributed to protesters.

Araghchi placed particular emphasis on Israel’s alleged role, accusing Israeli intelligence of actively operating alongside demonstrators and blaming those interventions for the violence and killings.

He also accused the United States of fueling unrest through public statements, warning that both countries would be held accountable.

“Israel and the United States bear responsibility for the riots,” Araghchi said. “Iran will take revenge.”

He further claimed that what he described as terrorist elements attacked government buildings, police stations, and shops, arguing that the unrest has entered a third phase marked by organized terror attacks. “What is happening now is no longer protest,” he said. “It is a terrorist war against our country.”

Araghchi dismissed Western criticism of Iran’s response as unfounded, accusing foreign governments of blaming police forces instead of what he called terrorist actors.

He insisted the situation in Iran is “under full control” and vowed to pursue those he said were responsible, both inside and outside the country.

Independent accounts, however, present a starkly different picture of events on the ground.

The BBC reported counting approximately 180 body bags in video footage from a morgue near Tehran.

The Human Rights Activist News Agency said it has verified the deaths of 495 protesters and 48 security personnel nationwide, and reported that more than 10,600 people have been detained over roughly two weeks of unrest.

The true number of fatalities is widely believed to be significantly higher, amid mass arrests, fear of reprisals, and severely limited communication from inside Iran due to a nationwide internet blackout that has made independent verification of casualties and events increasingly difficult.