Iran claims to have evidence U.S. and Israel orchestrated unrest (Video)

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has accused the United States and Israel of directly interfering in Iran’s internal affairs, alleging they orchestrated recent deadly unrest in an effort to justify a military intervention.

Speaking at a press conference, Araghchi claimed the violence during protests earlier this month was deliberately designed to increase casualties after US President Donald Trump suggested Washington could intervene if people were killed. He described this as “clear evidence of interference” and said Iran possesses audio recordings, documents and confessions linking the unrest to foreign-backed operatives.

According to Araghchi, Iranian authorities intercepted messages sent from outside the country instructing armed individuals to open fire while embedded among protesters. He alleged the directives encouraged attackers to shoot police officers and, if that was not possible, to fire on civilians to maximise casualties.

Araghchi said Tehran has “extensive evidence” showing the involvement of both the US and Israel, pointing to Israeli media reports about planning operations inside Iran and a social media post by former US Secretary of State and CIA Director Mike Pompeo, which he described as an admission of coordination with Israeli intelligence agents. On January 3 Pompeo tweeted, “Happy New Year to every Iranian in the streets. Also to every Mossad agent walking beside them…”

He said the Iranian government would pursue justice for those killed through both domestic and international channels, adding that security forces have regained full control of the situation. Araghchi warned other countries against making “miscalculations,” stating that Iran views the unrest between January 8 and 10 as an extension of last year’s 12-day war with Israel.

The foreign minister also detailed alleged financial incentives paid to those involved, claiming detainees confessed to being recruited with large sums of money. He said attackers were paid up to 80 million tomans to assault police stations and government vehicles, 50 million tomans to set buildings on fire, and smaller amounts for other acts. Authorities, he said, have seized the funds and documented each case.

Araghchi further alleged that the violence caused widespread destruction, including the burning of hundreds of shops, attacks on ambulances and buses, and the torching of religious sites. He said 180 ambulances were destroyed over three days and claimed 53 mosques were set on fire nationwide, describing the attacks as unprecedented. “This is completely strange because no Iranian burns or attacks a mosque,” he said.

Iran has repeatedly denied that the unrest was driven by domestic grievances alone, instead blaming what it calls a coordinated foreign operation aimed at destabilising the country and creating a pretext for foreign intervention.