Iran Says It Has Extensive Evidence of US and Israeli Orchestration Behind Violent Protests

MOSCOW— Iran has issued one of its most direct and serious accusations yet against the United States and Israel, asserting that both states played an active role in organizing and fueling the recent wave of protests that swept through multiple Iranian cities in late December 2025 and early January 2026.

Speaking on Monday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran possesses extensive and concrete evidence pointing to foreign interference by Washington and Tel Aviv, framing the unrest not as a spontaneous domestic movement but as part of a broader, externally driven destabilization campaign targeting the Islamic Republic.

“We have a lot of evidence indicating the interference of both the United States and Israel in this terrorist movement referring to the protests,” Araghchi was quoted by the SNN news agency as saying during a meeting with foreign ambassadors.

The accusation follows an unusually blunt address to the nation by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on January 11, in which he directly blamed the US and Israel for organizing the unrest and warned that foreign-backed radicals were attempting to hijack the legitimate economic grievances of ordinary citizens.

In his speech, Pezeshkian called on Iranians to take to the streets not to escalate chaos, but to prevent external actors and extremist elements from exploiting public dissatisfaction for geopolitical ends.

The Iranian leadership’s messaging marks a coordinated political response at the highest level of government, signaling that Tehran views the protests not merely as an internal security challenge, but as part of a broader pattern of US and Israeli pressure across multiple fronts, including sanctions, covert operations, and information warfare.

According to Araghchi, Iranian intelligence assessments are reinforced by publicly available material originating from Israeli media outlets, which have openly discussed Israeli intelligence operations inside Iran, as well as statements by senior US political figures that Iranian officials argue amount to implicit admissions of involvement.

The foreign minister specifically referenced remarks by former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who in a social media post wished a Happy New Year to Iranians participating in street protests and to “agents of Mossad Israeli intelligence alongside them.”

For Tehran, the remarks by former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo were not viewed as rhetorical provocation but as a revealing acknowledgment of coordination between foreign intelligence services and elements on the ground.

The protests erupted in late December 2025 amid growing economic anxiety following a sharp weakening of the Iranian rial, a trend that accelerated inflation and pushed up wholesale and retail prices. Similar economic dynamics have been highlighted in global financial reporting, including analysis by the Financial Times.

Demonstrators in several cities voiced anger over the volatile exchange rate and its immediate impact on daily life, prompting Iranian Central Bank Governor Mohammad-Reza Farzin to resign in an effort to restore confidence and contain public frustration.

Iranian officials argue that what began as economic protests was rapidly transformed into a coordinated political confrontation once external actors became involved, amplifying unrest and encouraging confrontations with security forces.

The escalation intensified after January 8, when Reza Pahlavi, the son of the Shah of Iran who was overthrown in 1979, issued calls that Iranian authorities say emboldened protest organizers and intensified street mobilization.

On the same day, internet access nationwide was blocked, with officials citing security concerns and the use of digital platforms to coordinate violence and spread disinformation.

In several Iranian cities, protests turned into clashes with police as demonstrators shouted slogans critical of the government. There were reports of casualties among both security forces and protesters, underscoring the seriousness of the unrest.

Tehran maintains that these developments cannot be separated from broader geopolitical pressure, arguing that years of sanctions and covert activity have created vulnerabilities exploited during moments of economic stress.

Iranian authorities announced on January 12 that the situation had been brought under control, with security forces restoring order and the government pledging to address economic grievances while preventing further exploitation by foreign actors.

By placing responsibility squarely on Washington and Tel Aviv, Iran has framed the unrest as another front in a prolonged confrontation, reinforcing its narrative that domestic instability is being deliberately weaponized by hostile external powers.

As regional tensions remain high, Tehran’s claims add further strain to already volatile relations, raising broader questions about sovereignty, accountability, and the role of foreign interference in shaping internal political crises.