Riots in Iran are acts of terrorism, part of foreign-plot, says envoy

Iranian Consulate in Nairobi./FILE

The Iranian Embassy, through its Public Diplomacy and Media Department, has called on the international community to condemn what they term “riots and terrorist activities” that have rocked the country in recent weeks. 

More than 2,000 people are feared dead according to various news agencies. 

The Islamic Republic has sent condolences to the affected families “of the victims—both civilians and the devoted members of the security forces—who have lost their lives to these atrocities.” 

Acknowledging that the demonstrations, which erupted on December 28 last year, were driven by legitimate economic reasons, with dozens of Iranian cities witnessing gatherings led by trade guilds and bazaar merchants, the embassy says the demos were later hijacked by “terrorist elements.”

“Regrettably, these peaceful protests were systematically hijacked by organised ‘ISIS-

Style’ terrorist cells and violent separatist groups. Pre-planned terrorist elements, armed and directed from abroad, infiltrated the demonstrations,” the embassy says. 

“Evidence gathered by security agencies, including intercepted communications and seized weaponry, confirms that what began as a social protest was transformed into coordinated violent attacks against protesters, civilians, and security forces.”

The embassy adds that the government opened channels for dialogue with peaceful demonstrators and that “responsive economic measures were initiated.”

The Iranian government has affirmed the right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly in accordance with its constitution and other global legal frameworks, that included the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. 

The embassy however accuses “terrorist” elements of wreaking havoc in the country through the “beheading of individuals, burning people alive, and the  brutal murder of law enforcement officers.”

 “These groups have targeted vital civilian infrastructure, destroying and torching ambulances, fire trucks, medical centers, and religious sites to incite chaos and demoralize the public,” it says. 

“Their explicit aim, as evidenced, was to maximize casualties to fabricate a false

narrative of state violence and invite foreign military aggression.

The primary responsibility of any sovereign state is the protection of the lives and

property of its citizens. Consequently, Iranian security forces have acted firmly and

responsibly to confront these armed rioters and restore public order.”

The embassy has flatly denied accusations by Western regimes of senseless killings in Iran, terming them “fabricated narratives.”

Instead, it blames Israel, “through Mossad agents operating within Iran” and US for issuing inflammatory statements that have fuelled the violence, contravening the UN Charter and international law. 

It notes that security protocols and other temporary restrictions informed the shutting of the internet.

“They were implemented to disrupt the coordination of terror operations, prevent large-scale cyberattacks against national infrastructure, and protect the safety of the Iranian nation from digital operations conducted by foreign agents,” the embassy says.

“These restrictions are temporary and are being eased as security is restored.”

Thousands of Iranians have come out in the streets in support of the government despite the ongoing demonstrations, showing “remarkable resilience and unity in rejecting this foreign-led plot.”

The embassy adds that these people are increasingly “distinguishing between legitimate economic grievances and externally driven violence aimed at destabilization.”