Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian accused U. S., Israeli, and European leaders of exploiting Iran’s economic issues to incite unrest and provide tools to disrupt the nation during recent protests. These protests, which began over a rising economic crisis marked by high inflation, resulted in significant violence and loss of life, with conflicting reports on the death toll. U. S. rights group HRANA states that over 6,500 people have died, while Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi claims around 3,100 were killed.
Pezeshkian claimed the foreign leaders aimed to create division and drew innocent people into protests, stating they wanted to sow conflict in Iran. U. S. President Donald Trump publicly supported the demonstrators and considered potential actions against Iran if the violence continued. In the backdrop, a U. S. Navy destroyer docked in Israel, signaling military readiness.
Regional partners like Turkey, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia are working to prevent conflict between the U. S. and Iran. The U. S. seeks limits on Iran’s missile program for talks, but Araqchi rejected that condition. He stated Iran is prepared for negotiations or conflict, emphasizing that the regime’s stability cannot be easily challenged.
With information from Reuters