Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has said that evil forces linked to the United States and Israel are responsible for the deaths and injuries of "several thousand" people in anti-government protests across the country.
On Saturday, Khamenei said, "Those involved with Israel and the United States have caused massive damage and killed thousands of people during these protests."
Iran has been rocked by mass protests for more than two weeks, with unofficial sources claiming more than 3,000 people have been killed.
Iran's supreme leader accused the United States and Israel of being directly involved in the violence. He described US President Donald Trump as a "criminal." Iranian state media quoted him as saying, "This time the conspiracy against Iran was different. Because the US president himself was personally involved in it."
Iranian authorities have consistently blamed their arch-enemies, Israel and the United States, for the unrest, claiming that foreign powers are destabilizing the country and fueling chaos on the ground.
Khamenei warned that Iran would not drag the war outside the country. But those responsible for the deaths and damage would not be spared. "We will not drag the country into war, but we will not let domestic or international criminals go unpunished," he said.
What's new?
Al Jazeera's Rasul Sardar Atas from Tehran said one thing was significantly new in Khamenei's speech: the death toll.
While government officials had previously said hundreds of people had died, this is the first time the Supreme Leader has acknowledged that "thousands" of people have been killed.
Khamenei claimed that the massive loss of life was due to the violence of the protesters.
However, the human rights organization HRANA says that more than 3,000 people have been killed in the protests.
Destruction and arrest
Khamenei accused the protesters of causing widespread destruction, including setting fire to more than 250 mosques and medical facilities. In addition, nearly 3,000 people have been arrested in connection with the protests.
The protests, which began on December 28 over rising prices and economic hardship, were initially peaceful. The government initially acknowledged the demands and suffering of ordinary people. The Iranian government later accused the movement of being 'hijacked'. They claim that the protesters turned violent at the behest of foreign powers. According to Khamenei, Trump was at the heart of the entire conspiracy.
The semi-official Fars News Agency reported on Saturday that internet services are being gradually restored across the country after an almost complete eight-day shutdown. Mobile SMS services have been re-established as part of the process.
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