Iran has accused external powers of exploiting domestic protests to destabilise the country, amid growing international concern over the government’s response to the unrest.
Gatekeepers News reports that in a statement, Gholamreza Mahdavi Raja, Iran’s ambassador to Nigeria, said protests that began as demonstrations over economic hardship had been amplified by “foreign interference and organised plots” aimed at turning lawful protests into violence.
According to the envoy, demonstrations that erupted across Iran on December 28 were initially driven by public dissatisfaction with economic conditions and living standards, but later escalated due to the involvement of hostile foreign actors.
Rights groups have alleged that the subsequent crackdown by Iranian security forces has led to more than 2,000 deaths and mass arrests, sparking widespread global concern.
The crisis has also drawn sharp reactions from the United States. President Donald Trump threatened strong action if Iranian forces continued what he described as deadly crackdowns on protesters, declaring that “help is on its way” to demonstrators. His remarks, which included references to possible military measures, were condemned by Iranian officials as unacceptable interference in the country’s internal affairs.
Amid rising tensions, Iran briefly closed its airspace to most flights, a move widely interpreted as a precaution against possible escalation, before reopening it several hours later.
Raja claimed that foreign actors were deliberately seeking to undermine Iran’s stability and create a pretext for intervention in violation of the country’s sovereignty and international law.
“Nevertheless, in recent days, interventions by certain hostile states, together with organised terrorist groups backed by them, have led to increased insecurity, violent clashes, unrest, and the loss of lives,” the statement read.
“Evidence suggests that these actions were coordinated within Iranian territory, with the aim of transforming peaceful protests into violence and instability.”
The Iranian envoy specifically accused the United States and Israel of pursuing destabilising policies, supporting terrorist groups and breaching international law.
He added that the Iranian government has continued to pursue economic and social reforms, engaged citizens through dialogue and strengthened social welfare measures to address public grievances, while also stepping up efforts to counter terrorism and foreign interference.
Raja said that while Tehran respects citizens’ rights to peaceful expression and assembly, it would not tolerate what it perceives as foreign-backed attempts to exploit internal dissent or threaten national security.
